Villanova Football Preview: Battle of Untested Quarterbacks in Season Opener

Rather than scheduling softball matchups to prepare themselves for the 2026 season, Villanova Football will dive right into the action at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, hosting William & Mary in their Patriot League debut. The Wildcats enter as heavy favorites, listed at -543 on the money line according to Fox Sports; the over/under sits at 50.5, while the point spread is at -11.5 in the Wildcats’ favor.

Expect an opening kickoff temperature around 82 degrees, with cloudy to partly cloudy skies throughout. Humidity will range between 70 and 80 percent, while a three mile per hour breeze (gusts up to nine miles per hour) shouldn’t have an undue impact on the kicking game. ESPN+ holds the broadcasting rights to this matchup.

The Tribe went 7-5 last season under head coach Mike London, now entering his eighth season at the helm. Like the Wildcats, they have a question mark at quarterback after longtime starter Tyler Hughes transferred to Wyoming for his final season of eligibility.

Scouting the Tribe

Instead, William & Mary will roll with one of sophomore Carter Carroll and junior Winston Watkins, a transfer from Towson, to run their offense. The Tribe will rely on transfers Andrew King (52 touches for 353 yards and four touchdowns) and Jah’Kei Chavis (81 touches for 447 yards and four touchdowns) at running back, both of whom are capable out of the backfield and in the passing attack.

They’ll return mainstays at left tackle and right guard, as well as 6-foot-5, 240 pound tight end Sean McElwain. The preseason All-Patriot League pick caught seven passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in seven games last season and has experience against Villanova.

William & Mary has a pair of All-Patriot League picks on the other side of the ball, defensive end Davin Dzidzienyo and free safety Bryce Barnes. Junior inside linebacker Harrison Johnson amassed 84 tackles last season and is another returning veteran to watch. Outside linebacker Stephon Hicks blocked four punts last season, making him an all-conference pick on special teams.

Scouting Villanova

The Wildcats, on the other hand, maintained most of their offensive continuity with players like Braden Reed, Ja’briel Mace, Isaiah Ragland, Chris McCullers and Kyle Fay. Unfortunately for the Villanova faithful, their one question mark is at the game’s most important position, quarterback.

With Pat McQuaide’s eligibility for Patriot League matchups currently up in the air, expect one of Robert Russo and true freshman Nolan DiLucia to start. If the Wildcats can rely on their ground game and timely passing, that might not provide too much of a problem, but don’t be surprised if their offense goes through growing pains.

Defensively, the Wildcats bring back talented contributors like defensive end Capri Martin and linebacker Omari Bursey. Their secondary is a question mark after transfers hit the unit hard, and head coach Mark Ferrante says that Villanova’s 95-man roster limit prevents them from practicing with as much contact as they’d like. As such, tackling could be an issue as the Wildcats ramp up to full speed. They also remade their specialist unit this offseason, so kicking and punting might have some bumps.