Villanova Preview: Can the ‘Cats Find Consistency Against Colgate?

Villanova Football will try to make it above .500 when they host the Colgate Raiders at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. The No. 22/No. 23 Wildcats (2-2, 1-1 Patriot League) have yet to look steady in a win this season, needing fourth quarter rallies to survive Bucknell and Long Island on the road; they also blew a two-touchdown lead at home against William & Mary in an eventual loss. The Raiders (3-1, 2-0 Patriot League), for their part, played Central Michigan tough on the road in their FBS matchup and have won each of their FCS games by at least two scores.

FOX Sports has the Wildcats as a -2.5 point favorite (-136 money line), but that number could be swayed by the fact that 96 percent of bets placed are on the Wildcats. The over/under sits around 46.5, standard for most college football games. ESPN+ will hold the broadcasting rights for this game as part of their contract with the Patriot League.

Scouting Colgate

Senior quarterback Jake Stearney has completed 59 of 99 pass attempts this season (59.6 percent), picking up 731 yards for an average of 182 per game. He’s thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (five), so the Wildcats’ defense has a chance to make some plays when he puts the ball in the air.

The Raiders’ offensive line has allowed eight sacks so far this season, an average of two per game, and Stearney is a solid threat on the ground with a pair of rushing touchdowns and 115 yards gained. His top target is 6-foot-4 Matt Fogler (21 catches for 368 yards and four touchdowns), accounting for the vast majority of Colgate’s success through the air.

Senior Winston Moore (15 catches for 156 yards and a score, including a long gain of 58 yards) is another receiver to watch. All in all, the Raiders are capable of making splash plays in the passing game, but the unit is far from perfect. They’re much better on the ground, with junior Danny Shaban picking up 529 yards and four touchdowns across 96 attempts as the Raiders’ lead back.

They’ve struggled to get home to the quarterback, managing just one sack per game, but they’re capable of bottling up the run game with 21 tackles for loss so far. Junior linebacker Christian Magliacano has three of Colgate’s eight interceptions, so Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide will need to take care of the football on any attempt over the middle.

Scouting Villanova

The Wildcats have as talented a 1-2 punch at running back as any team in the FCS with Isaiah Ragland (47 carries for 213 yards and two touchdowns) and Ja’briel Mace (44 carries for 244 yards and a pair of scores). They have a trio of talented receivers in Braden Reed (18 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns), Brandon Binkowski (18 catches for 259 yards and a score) and Jake Hilton (8 catches for 172 yards), but their passing game is still coming around.

Quarterback Pat McQuaide, who was limited in summer practices amidst an eligibility battle, has completed 67 of 108 passes for 877 yards, an average of just under 220 yards per game. He’s also struggled with turnovers, throwing five touchdowns to four interceptions, and has yet to return to the rhythm he found late last season.

Defensively, Villanova is still trying to find their footing. They have one of the best linebackers in the FCS in Omari Bursey (42 tackles, 25 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss) and talented defensive linemen like Ratu Delano Navoti (two sacks) and Ugo Nwotite (4.5 tackles for loss), but they’ve allowed more than 340 yards per game — not counting the blowout loss to Louisville, one of the Top 25 teams in the nation — and that’s played a major role in their inability to close teams out.