Villanova Football to Start Pat McQuaide at Quarterback

UPDATE 6 p.m.: Per the McQuaide v. Patriot League court docket: “in accordance with civil rule 42, this matter is hereby transferred to the docket of Judge Timothy McCormick as the original judge in the matter”. McCormick issued the preliminary injunction giving McQuaide an extra year of eligibility and would presumably rule in his favor again against the Patriot League.

UPDATE 6:19 p.m.: Philadelphia Sports Now reached out to a Patriot League spokesperson if they could make a comment on McQuaide starting for Villanova. The response: “not at the moment”.

UPDATE 7 p.m.: Per The Philadelphia Inquirer, McQuaide received a preliminary injunction from Cuyahoga County Judge Timothy McCormick allowing him to play in 2026.

The Patriot League deemed Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide ineligible to play this season, ruling that the Wildcats will forfeit any conference game he appears in… but McQuaide will start their Friday, Aug. 28 league opener against William & Mary.

McQuaide and the Wildcats went through an offseason-long battle with the NCAA attempting to earn an extra season of eligibility. He began his college career with a redshirt year at Kent State in 2021, then transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast, a junior college, in 2022. After that, McQuaide spent three seasons in the FCS, two with Nuckolls State and one with Villanova.

The NCAA ruled in 2025 that seasons spent in the lower levels of college athletics like junior colleges and Divisions II and III wouldn’t count against a player’s four seasons of Division I eligibility… but the league went on to deny McQuaide’s eligibility waiver request. McQuaide took his battle to the courts and was granted an extra season via an initial court injunction, but the Patriot League stepped in to deny his bid… and since they weren’t named in McQuaide’s suit, the NCAA stepped in to back the conference. McQuaide and his attorney moved to hold the Patriot League in contempt of court, but as of right now they haven’t heard back.

Because their game with William & Mary is a Patriot League matchup, the Wildcats’ result may be ruled a forfeit regardless of the outcome.