Who is ready for some college football?
I’ve had the itch since the middle of May already. While this is VU Hoops, it can’t hurt to talk some football.
While Villanova continues to be a basketball school, the Wildcats have enjoyed great success on the gridiron. This includes a 2025 season where the team finished 12-3 and made a run to the FCS semifinals for the first time since 2010.
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Villanova will make the move to the Patriot League this season. The Wildcats resided in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) from 2007-2025.
The team will be led by Mark Ferrante once again as he enters his 10th season as head coach. The roster returns some major pieces as it looks to repeat success from last year.
Roster Overview
Returning All-Conference
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Ja’briel Mace, KR (First Team)
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Braden Reed, PR (Third Team)
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Kyle Fay, OL (Honorable Mention)
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Pat McQuaide, QB (Honorable Mention)
Transfers In
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Mikey Allen, CB (Southern Utah)
Transfers Out
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David Avit, RB (Arizona State)
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Anthony Hawkins, S (Iowa)
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Zahmir Dawud, CB (Rutgers)
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Jason Hall, LB (West Virginia)
2026 Football Schedule
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Friday, Aug. 28: vs. Williams & Mary
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Saturday, Sept. 5: at Bucknell
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Friday, Sept. 11: at Louisville
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Saturday, Sept. 19: at Long Island University
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Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Colgate
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Saturday, Oct. 3: vs. Morgan State
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Saturday, Oct. 17: at Fordham
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Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Lehigh
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Saturday, Oct. 31: at Lafayette
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Saturday, Nov. 7: vs. Richmond
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Saturday, Nov. 14: at Holy Cross
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Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Georgetown
Offense: Villanova to Lean on Ground Game
The Wildcats featured a dynamic offense last season. The expectations remain the same, but a major question remains at quarterback Pat McQuaide awaits a decision regarding a waiver for another year of eligibility. He threw for 3,123 yards with 25 touchdowns to just four interceptions last season.
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If McQuaide is gone, it will be Robert Russo or Nolan DiLucia taking over. Either way, the ground game remains king for the Wildcats.
Villanova returns 2025 leading rushers Ja’Briel Mace (946 yards, 11 TDs) and Isaiah Ragland (755 yards, 2 TDs). The duo in the backfield will have an experienced offensive line to work with once again.
Kyle Fay leads the way as an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection with Chris McCullers and Ryan Crefan as well. All three players weigh over 310 pounds with Fay and Cregan standing at 6-foot-6. Quin Whalen is another behemoth up front who was a consistent starter last season.
The ground game will lead the way, but whoever plays quarterback will have wide receivers looking to build off strong years. Braden Reed was productive in his first year while Chris Colby will take on an extended role.
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Defense: New Faces to Step Up
The Wildcat defense was strong last season but will rely on some new faces stepping up.
Villanova lost its top three tacklers from last year’s squad. This makes Turner Inge the team’s leading returning tackler. He logged 56 tackles with three sacks last season. Omari Bursey will go from being the team’s fifth-leading tackler (50) to the No. 2 behind Inge. It will be a group effort to replace the production from All-American Shane Hartzell.
The secondary will also need others to step up. While it returns players who logged snaps last season, the Wildcats will lose four major contributors in the backend. Garrett Rogan and Jamie Tyson are the leading returners at the safety position. Corners will be led by Newton Essiem and Mikey Allen, who transfers in from Southern Utah.
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Along the defensive line, it is Capri Martin, who finished with 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks, who leads the way on the edge.
All together, the defensive will ask some new faces to step into extended roles, but they are faces that have been in the program.
