Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Already an ex-Navy pilot by the time he got to Villanova, Francis Kane was an experienced end who played a significant role on the Wildcats line during his career. He played on the varsity squad from 1946-48 and graduated from Villanova in 1950. Kane was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1990.
 
During his years on the varsity roster Kane made 15 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns, one each during the 1946 and 1948 seasons. He contributed to a Wildcats offensive line that enabled the team to average more than 20 points per game over the course of his career, including 25.6 points per contest in the 1948 campaign when Villanova tallied the first bowl game victory in program history.
 
Kane played for Hall of Fame coach Jordan Olivar on teams that were a combined 20-9-2 (.677) during his career. That success culminated with the 1948 squad going 8-2-1 and defeating Nevada by a 27-7 score in the Harbor Bowl in San Diego. It was the second straight bowl game for the Wildcats who had been narrowly beaten by Kentucky, 24-14, in the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl in Cleveland.
 
Villanova started strong in 1948 with a 34-14 win over Texas A&M at Franklin Field, then tallied impressive road wins over Miami (Fla.), Detroit and North Carolina State later in the year in addition to a 13-13 tie on the road in a rematch against Kentucky.