Villanova Football Preview: Duel of Bend-But-Don’t-Break Defense at Fordham

Villanova Football will try to begin their long climb toward the top of the Patriot League at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 when they travel to the Bronx to play Fordham on ESPN+. While the Wildcats (2-4, 1-2 Patriot League) entered the 2026 season with legitimate hopes of an FCS Championship, a series of last-minute losses have them fighting for their playoff lives.

If they have any hopes of making it back to the playoffs for the fourth year running, Villanova will need to run the table and win a conference championship. Fordham (2-5, 2-2 Patriot League) seems like a good place to start, but the Rams managed to knock off a ranked Richmond team last week. Given the Wildcats’ struggles this season, they can’t afford to overlook the Rams, even in a game they enter as -420 favorites.

Scouting Fordham

6-foot-5 senior quarterback Gunnar Smith leads the Rams’ offense but has struggled mightily through his first seven games, completed 96 of 182 passes for 907 yards, six touchdowns, ten interceptions and an average of five yards per attempt. An offensive line allowing nearly three sacks per game hasn’t helped Smith’s case, but he has benefitted from the presence of running backs Jamell James (67 carries for 428 yards and five touchdowns) and Yohan-Li Louis (60 carries for 372 yards and a score).

Smith is another threat to run, breaking loose for a season-long of 45 yards and logging a pair of rushing touchdowns. As such, Villanova’s defense will need to find a way to get off the field quickly so they aren’t worn down over the course of long, grinding drives.

Fordham’s top receivers are Ricky Gonzalez II (21 catches for 259 yards and two touchdowns) and Nodin Tracy (21 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns), both of whom are capable threats despite the Rams’ focus on running the football. With 16 sacks and 17 passes defensed, the Rams are capable of making splash plays… but they’re also allowing 30 points and 185 rushing yards per game and should give the Wildcats plenty of chances to get their licks in.

Scouting Villanova

When the Wildcats are at their best, they’re relying on their one-two punch of running backs Isaiah Ragland (69 carries for 345 yards and six touchdowns) and Ja’briel Mace (70 carries for 389 yards and four touchdowns; 10 catches for 185 yards and three scores), both of whom are capable of taking over any given game.

Quarterback Pat McQuaide (101-of-159 for seven touchdowns and six interceptions) has struggled this season, committing a handful of back-breaking turnovers that put added pressure on an already-shaky defense allowing more than 400 yards per game. Villanova has a series of capable targets for McQuaide: Braden Reed (30 catches for 345 yards and three touchdowns), Brandon Binkowski (20 catches for 306 yards and a score) and Jake Hilton (11 catches for 207 yards) are all capable of wreaking havoc in the secondary, but the Wildcats aren’t playing well enough overall to survive the mistakes they do make.

The bye week could help them get back on track… or add rust to a team already struggling to figure things out.