Villanova football is back in the win column after a 31-24 victory against William & Mary last Saturday, Sept. 27. The Wildcats’ first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) win puts them at 2-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Now, Villanova will face another conference foe in the University of New Hampshire. The game will kick off at 1 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Wildcat Stadium in Durham, NH.
New Hampshire sits one spot ahead of Villanova in the standings, tied for fifth in the CAA. The other Wildcats are currently 3-2 overall, with only one of those games being against a CAA opponent. They won that lone game, 24-6, against the University of Albany this past weekend.
New Hampshire has had success in the passing game this season, led by sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza. He currently has 1,037 passing yards with five passing touchdowns across five games.
Vezza has also had some turnover issues, throwing four interceptions this season. In New Hampshire’s most recent win over Albany, Vezza threw for 190 yards and one passing touchdown with no interceptions.
Senior wide receiver Chase Wilson has been Vezza’s main weapon, collecting 352 yards and two touchdowns on 21 receptions. Senior running back Myles Thomason has commanded the backfield, rushing for 256 yards this season.
New Hampshire’s defense held Albany to six points last weekend and forced a turnover off an interception. In New Hampshire’s first two games of the season, it held North Carolina Central to 10 points and Holy Cross to 16.
Villanova’s most recent win came in a hard-fought battle against the Tribe that saw the Wildcats dominate the running game. Sophomore running back David Avit racked up 133 rushing yards, putting him at 370 yards and six touchdowns overall on the ground. He had his second straight game with three rushing touchdowns and more than 100 rushing yards.
It was all Avit in the endzone, but graduate transfer quarterback Pat McQuaide had a clean game, with 194 passing yards. He continues to be a reliable playcaller for the Wildcats, with totals of 853 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and only one interception.
Senior wide receiver Luke Colella had yet another strong performance against William & Mary, with six catches for 88 yards. Before this matchup, Colella had two games with over 100 receiving yards. He has been a reliable option for McQuaide this year.
The two Wildcats squads have faced off 28 times in their history, with New Hampshire leading the all-time battle, 14-13. The Wildcats have earned wins over New Hampshire in back-to-back seasons.
