Villanova clashes with New Hampshire in the Battle of the CAA Wildcats on Homecoming Weekend
Written by David Szczepanski on October 26, 2024
VILLANOVA, PA—#13/14 Villanova celebrates its Homecoming weekend with a Saturday late afternoon battle against the New Hampshire Wildcats. For the first time this season, Villanova is not ranked within the top six teams in both major FCS polls. The Wildcats dropped to 13th and 14th place in both the polls after their 35-7 loss to Maine last Saturday.
Turning The Page from Maine
The Wildcats did not play well last weekend in Orono, Maine. They fell behind by 21 points at the end of the first quarter. Villanova committed ten penalties for 100 yards and finished the game with four turnovers.
Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante spoke about Villanova’s early struggles in Maine and some missed opportunities in his midweek CAA press conference.
“Their guys were ready to play,” Ferrante said. “They stepped up. I’m not saying we weren’t ready to play, but they got off to a really fast start, and I credit them for not only making and creating those opportunities but also taking advantage of those opportunities and making those plays when they had the opportunity to do so.”
Villanova QB Connor Watkins was just 14-for-31 with 117 yards and two interceptions, his first interceptions of the season. The Wildcats never established a rushing attack due to the early deficit against the Black Bears. Their only touchdown was a seven-yard rush from backup quarterback Tanner Maddocks in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats now return to the Main Line for this battle against New Hampshire, who won four of their first seven games of the season. They have also played well in CAA play, with a 2-1 conference record entering Saturday. New Hampshire’s two CAA wins came against Bryant and Elon, two below-average teams in 2024. Their lone conference loss took place last Saturday against #16/17 Rhode Island at home by a final score of 26-9.
New Hampshire head coach Rick Santos spoke highly of Villanova’s 2024 success and the significant challenge that his team faces today on the road in his CAA press conference earlier this week.
“They are a powerhouse team,” Santos said. “I mean a perennial top 25 every single year. One of the toughest places to play in the county. They play extremely hard.”
New Hampshire’s Defensive Success and Offensive Struggles
So far in 2024, this season has been a tale of two sides of the football for UNH. Through their first seven games, New Hampshire’s defense was one of the best in the CAA. They allowed just 23 points per contest while forcing 20 sacks for 138 yards lost. However, New Hampshire’s offense has struggled to score consistently, with just 22 points per game.
New Hampshire’s defense has excelled against CAA competition. They have allowed just 17.6 points per game to their conference foes, including a somewhat disappointing defensive effort against Rhode Island last week, where they allowed 26 points. In the first half of the schedule, UNH’s defense held opponents to a 31.3% success rate on third downs.
New Hampshire’s offense is led by QB Seth Morgan, a transfer from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Morgan has completed 143 of his 215 passing attempts for more than 1,400 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Despite New Hampshire’s offensive struggles at times, Morgan has succeeded in their passing attack with those 15 touchdowns. Morgan had some previous turnover issues in his collegiate career, including 11 interceptions in 2021. He has found a balance to limit those turnovers in 2024.
In his midweek press conference, Coach Ferrante said Morgan “distributes the ball well” and presents a similar challenge to Maine’s transfer QB, Carter Peevy, last weekend.
“They look similar to Maine,” Ferrante said. “They put the ball out there. They throw it around. They do some really good things. They have really talented up-front defensive linemen that can sack the quarterback.”
UNH has three wide receivers with at least 350 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Logan Tomlinson, a member of the CAA’s Preseason All-Conference Team, leads New Hampshire with 48 receptions for 505 yards and six touchdowns. Caleb Burke averages over 16 yards per catch in his 28 receptions this season. Joey Corcoran has 30 receptions for 354 yards and three touchdowns in his 2024 campaign.
New Hampshire has struggled in third-down situations in the first half of the season. They converted just 21 of 85 (24.7%) third-down plays. However, UNH has been successful in fourth-down situations at a 46% clip in 13 attempts.
New Hampshire’s biggest weakness is its rushing attack. This season, UNH averages just 2.9 yards per carry and 77 rushing yards per game, which ranks at the bottom of the CAA. UNH’s lead running back is Isaac Seide, a senior from Everett, Massachusetts. Seide totaled 428 rushing yards for just two touchdowns so far in 2024. Seide is New Hampshire’s only rusher with more than 100 yards on the ground this season.
Coach Ferrante provided some context about how Villanova was preparing for a tough New Hampshire team this weekend.
“Our focus right now, obviously on a Sunday, Monday, and heading into Tuesday practice has to be let’s clean up what we need to clean up and let’s make sure we can execute what it is we are trying to execute,” Ferrante said. “We got to gear it up and get ready for a New Hampshire team that is always tough. Always plays well. Always tries to create turnovers. Does a good job moving the ball, and they play a very physical style of defense.”
Villanova is tied for fourth place in the CAA with a 5-2 overall record and a 2-1 conference record.
WXVU Live Coverage of Today’s Game
WXVU’s live coverage of today’s game begins at 3pm with the pregame show. This CAA rivalry kicks off at 3:30pm at Villanova Stadium. You can listen on the local 89.1 FM dial and the WXVU website.
