#5 Villanova suffers their first loss of the season to Maryland despite a strong second half

College Park, MD–In their toughest task of the season, #5 Villanova struggled to stop Maryland’s QB Billy Edwards Jr. and WR Tai Felton. The Terrapins leaped out to an early 24-0 lead and defeated the Wildcats, 38-20, in College Park, Maryland. Villanova did not “shock the world” with a huge upset win against an FBS program, but they battled and kept the game interesting for 60 minutes.

Maryland defeats Villanova, 38-20, to win their 15th consecutive non-conference game. 

Villanova’s First Half Struggles

Villanova QB Connor Watkins missed his first four pass attempts against Maryland, and the Terrapins’ offense scored points on their first four drives of the game. The Wildcats’ offense had just 51 total yards in the first half. Villanova RB Isaiah Ragland struggled in the first 30 minutes. He had just one carry for zero yards in the first half. Villanova also did not have a receiver with more than eight yards in the first 30 minutes. The first half was not pretty for Villanova, and it looked like the Terrapins were on their way to a non-competitive blowout. Maryland took a 24-0 lead into the locker room.

The Wildcats’ Second Half Adjustments + Surprise Onside Kick

But like their game against Colgate, Villanova made significant second-half adjustments and executed their game plan more efficiently on both sides of the football. After having his earlier field goal attempt blocked, Ethan Gettman converted a 33-yard field goal to get the Wildcats on the board at SECU Stadium. To the surprise of the Terrapins and the entire stadium, Villanova successfully recovered an onside kick. Ragland and Watkins settled into a nice rhythm and led Villanova to a touchdown with a pass from Watkins to Devin Smith. The Wildcats scored 10 quick points against the Terrapins in the third quarter to cut their deficit to just 14 points. Villanova was just a third down stop away from having a legitimate chance to pull off the upset, but Edwards Jr. and Tai Felton connected again and scored a backbreaking touchdown.

Villanova would continue to find offensive success even with backup QB Tanner Maddocks in the game, but the Wildcats’ hopes of an upset crashed after Felton’s touchdown at the end of the third quarter.

Connor Watkins’ Passing Struggles Continue

Connor Watkins finished the game with just 12 completed passes in 29 attempts for 106 yards and one touchdown. He had a lot of overthrown passes, especially in the first half. However, he looked much more comfortable in the second half with shorter to mid-range passes. Watkins did not have much success in the running game with 12 carries for just 12 yards. In backup of Watkins in the fourth quarter, Maddocks was a perfect 4-for-4 with 50 passing yards. He also recorded a rushing touchdown with an eight-yard run to the end zone.

Villanova’s Rushing Attack

The Wildcats’ rushing attack had their most disappointing game of the season, but they had to deal with a talented Terrapins’ defense. They finished Saturday’s game with 32 carries for just 75 yards and one touchdown. Ja’briel Mace led Villanova with 24 rushing yards. Isaiah Ragland, reigning CAA Rookie of the Week, had five carries for 19 yards with some success coming in the final 30 minutes. Villanova’s star of the game was WR Devin Smith. Smith scored his third touchdown of the season with 62 receiving yards against the Terrapins. Jaylan Sanchez had the most targets for Villanova with 11, but Watkins and Sanchez seemed to struggle to get on the same page with most passes.

The Wildcats’ Defense Forces Two Turnovers

Villanova’s defense did everything they could to limit Maryland’s high-powered offense. The Wildcats’ secondary played a strong game, specifically Isas Waxter and Ty Trinh. Trinh also recorded an interception against Edwards Jr. in the third quarter. Villanova’s linebacker core led by Shane Hartzell and Brendan Bell also played a good game. Hartzell poked out the football from RB Colby McDonald for a fumble at the end of the first half. He also had a sack for seven yards and seven total tackles. Ethan Potter led the Wildcats with 10 total tackles and seven solo tackles. Villanova’s defense struggled in the first quarter, but they kept the Wildcats in the game and did their best to handle the clear talent advantage for the FBS’ Maryland Terrapins.

An empty SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland after Villanova vs. Maryland on Saturday afternoon. 

Terrapins’ Offensive Quick Stats + Felton’s Dominant Performance

Maryland QB Billy Edwards Jr. completed 28 of his 32 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns. Besides the one interception to Trinh, he was nearly perfect in the passing game by completing 87% of his passes. RB Roman Hemby saw his touches decrease in the second half, but he had 14 carries for 67 yards and one touchdown against the Wildcats. Tai Felton, the only receiver in Maryland program history to have over 100 receiving yards in his first three games, continued his dominance in 2024 against Villanova. He had 14 catches for 157 yards and one touchdown. Villanova also struggled to find answers for WR Kaden Prather, who finished the game with six receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown. The Terrapins’ receiving core is so explosive and talented, especially Felton. Edwards Jr. and Felton led Maryland to its 15th straight non-conference win.

My Thoughts

Villanova, who is still one of the best teams in the FCS, proved their potential and high ranking against a good FBS program in Maryland. The game moved quickly for the Wildcats in the first half, but once they settled into the game after halftime, they showed their grit and made Maryland earn the victory.

There were a lot of positives for Villanova like their second-half fight, good performance from Devin Smith, and the secondary’s play against the Terrapins, especially in the second half. However, the biggest positive was winning the turnover battle against the best turnover margin team in the country. Maryland was +9 in the turnover margin entering this game against the Wildcats. Villanova won the turnover battle, 2-0, to keep them in the game.

Before CAA play picks up in a couple of weeks, there are still areas for improvement for the Wildcats. Connor Watkins continued to look uncomfortable in the passing game, and the offense struggled with miscommunication on certain plays. Most of the miscommunication probably came from a loud SECU Stadium for Family Weekend, but the Wildcats need to fix their communication for next weekend’s game against Long Island University.

CAA Standings

The Wildcats are now 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. They are tied for second place in the CAA behind Delaware, the only undefeated team left in the conference.

WXVU’s Live Coverage of Villanova vs. Long Island

WXVU will have live coverage of Villanova vs. Long Island on Saturday, September 28th beginning with the pregame show at 5:30pm. Kickoff from Villanova Stadium is scheduled for 6pm.