On Saturday, Sept. 13, a one-handed grab by Villanova receiver Brandon Binkowski in the back of the endzone put Villanova on the scoreboard as the game clock expired at Beaver Stadium. Binkowski’s first collegiate score stopped the Wildcats from being shut out for the first time since 2018.
No. 11 Villanova football (1-1) traveled to Happy Valley to face the FBS powerhouse No. 2 Penn State (0-3). In front of a crowd of 109,516 fans, the largest crowd Villanova has played for, the Nittany Lions soundly defeated the Wildcats, 52-6.
The Wildcats were unable to find consistency on either side of the ball against the Nittany Lions. The Wildcats were limited to 179 yards of total offense compared to Penn State’s 465. It was the final game before Villanova kicks off conference play next weekend.
“When you play a team where you’re pretty much overmatched, outmatched, in every position, you have to come and play near perfect, and we did not do that today,” head coach Mark Ferrante said. “So, just like every other game, regardless of the score, we’ll try to pick up on the positive plays that we made today.”
Penn State drove 78 yards down the field on the game’s opening drive for a touchdown. It was the first of eight scoring drives for the Nittany Lions. Villanova only forced Penn State to punt twice.
With only six yards of total offense in the first quarter, the Wildcats struggled to move the ball across midfield. Villanova’s first drive of the game resulted in five plays for 15 yards.
Graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter after being sacked on a third-down run out of bounds. Junior quarterback Tanner Maddocks stepped in as the signal caller for two drives before McQuaide returned.
McQuaide threw for 17 passing yards on seven completions while giving up his first interception of the season. Through two games, he has 316 passing yards.
Villanova’s defense held Penn State to a field goal on two separate drives in the first half. However, Penn State’s deep rotation of starting-caliber players wore down the Villanova defense as the game went on.
“They had short fields on both of those field goals,” Ferrante said. “After they took the opening drive and kind of did what they wanted, our guys kind of then got used to what they were seeing. To have some three-and-outs after that, and then hold them to some field goals on less than 50-yard fields. I think that was huge.”
With only 69 yards of total offense in the first half, Villanova trailed Penn State at halftime, 21-0.
A three-and-out ended Villanova’s opening drive of the second half. All but two Villanova drives in the second half would end in a three-and-out or a turnover.
Redshirt freshman Omari Bursey intercepted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. The Wildcats did not capitalize on the turnover, going three-and-out on the next drive.
Maddocks replaced McQuaide in the fourth quarter and gave up an interception that was returned for a touchdown to stretch Penn State’s lead to 52-0.
Villanova’s only scoring drive came on the last one of the game. Maddocks moved the Wildcats 75 yards downfield on 16 plays. It ended with Binkowski’s one-handed snag.
“I talked to our administration, and the FCS teams play the FBS games like this because it helps us financially,” Ferrante said. “It helps us stay in good places. It helps us take charter flights. It helps us with our budget and things of that nature to give our guys a great experience at our (FCS) level.”
Villanova will now prepare to kick off conference play on the road against No. 18 Monmouth (2-1) at Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, NJ (FloSports, 3:30 p.m.). The Hawks defeated the Wildcats last season, 40-33, marking one of only two conference losses for Villanova.
