Bye-Bye Big 5? Villanova Stays Out of New Format

A new Philadelphia Big 5 format is rolling out, and as things stand right now Villanova Men’s Basketball isn’t part of it. The other five members of the group — Drexel, La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph’s and Temple — will each play each other both at home and away in a round robin format that will begin during the 2027-28 season, per releases from each of the programs.

The shared release says that “in recent years, the evolving NCAA landscape has prompted institutions to evaluate how their athletics programs align with broader institutional priorities. Following thoughtful discussions and consideration of the interests and goals of all involved, the decision was made to move forward with the Men’s Philadelphia Big 5 championship format without Villanova’s participation. The Men’s Basketball Big 5 Classic at the Xfinity Mobile Arena will continue for its fourth season in 2026 but will not be held in its current format in subsequent years.”

Villanova head coach Kevin Willard expressed displeasure with the current format ahead of the 2025-26 season, noting how the Wildcats lost the revenue from a home game through their mandate to travel to play one of the other Big 5 member schools in pod play. It appears that the rest of the Big 5 held their ground instead of conceding a favorable set-up to Villanova.

Now, an institution that began in 1955 will change fundamentally as titanic shifts continue to sweep the college basketball landscape. Sitting out does make sense for Villanova both in terms of finances and the NET rankings as they attempt to compete with the top of Division I… but the loss of part of a regional rivalry that embodies the soul of college basketball is a steep price to pay.