Oct. 26, 1999

Saturday, October 30, 1999 -- Noon
Cowell Stadium (9,571)
Durham, N.H.

No. 21 Villanova
Wildcats
(5-3 Overall, 4-2 Atlantic 10)

vs.

New Hampshire
Wildcats
(3-4 Overall, 1-3 Atlantic 10)

SERIES INFORMATION
First Meeting: 1988, NH 58-7
Overall: NH leads 6-4-0
Overall Under Talley: 4-6
Last VU Win: 11/8/97, 23-20
Last NH Win: 11/9/96, 34-0
Streak: NH has won four of five

Radio
Pregame Show 11:30 a.m.

Game Coverage Noon.
WFIL - 560-AM
WJNN - 106.7 FM

Play By Play: Joe Eichhorn
Color Analysis:Ryan Fannon

All Wildcat games can be heard on the internet through the broadcast.com system.

TEAM COMPARISON

NEW HAMPSHIRE REPORT: New Hampshire enters play this week with a 3-4 overall record and a 1-3 Atlantic 10 Conference mark. The Wildcats are averaging 30.4 points per game and they are giving up 30.1 points per contest. Offensively, New Hampshire is averaging 464.0 yards per contest, including 235.3 yards per game on the ground and 228.7 yards via the pass. They are averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per rush. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Day has completed 136-of-226 for 1,549 yards, to go with 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Senior wide receiver Jermaine Washington has been Day?s favorite target with 33 catches for 358 yards and three scores. On the ground, senior Dan Curran has gained 687 yards on 132 carries (5.2 yards per rush) and 10 touchdowns, while senior fullback Dan Kreider has tallied 440 yards on 74 carries (5.9 yards per rush). Defensively, junior linebacker Brett Bashaw leads the team in total tackles with 68 and tackles for loss with eight. In the sack department, sophomore linebacker Jon Oosterhuis has registered a team-high three.

wildcat COACH sean McDonnell: New Hampshire is led by first-year head coach Sean McDonnell who replaces Bill Bowes who retired this past spring after 27 years as the Wildcat head man. McDonnell had served eight seasons as a New Hampshire assistant coach, including serving as the team's offensive Coordinator from 1994-98. In 1997, McDonnell was named the recipient of ?The College Assistant Coach Award? by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston in recognition of his quality of performance, loyalty and longevity. As a player, McDonnell was a standout defensive back at New Hampshire, starting on both the 1975 and 1976 Yankee Conference Championship teams. After spending three seasons coaching in the high school ranks, McDonnell was the defensive coordinator at Hamilton College from 1983-84. From 1985-87, he coached the receivers and tight ends at Boston University, before serving as a graduate assistant coach at Boston College for the 1988 season. McDonnell also spent two seasons (1989-90) as an assistant at Columbia University.

1999 Atlantic 10 standings (A-10/Overall)

1999 Honors Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week
LB Jason McMillion (Sept. 12)
WR Brian White (Oct. 17)

Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week
LB Joe Quartey (Sept. 19)

Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week
QB Chris Boden (Oct. 17)

Teamlink.Com National Offensive Player of the Week
QB Chris Boden (Oct. 17)

USA Today/ESPN I-AA National Special Teams Player
PK Casey Hannon (Sept. 20)

Sports Network I-AA National Special Teams Player
PK Casey Hannon (Sept. 20)

Injury Report
The following is the injury report for the New Hampshire game on Oct. 30

Shaz Brown (RFr./ WR)
Torn ACL left knee. Out for the season

David Heckard (Sr./ LB)
Sprained knee. Out for New Hampshire

Brian Westbrook (Jr./ RB)
Injured left knee. Out for the season

The Sports Network I-AA Poll (10/25/99)

No   Team    1.   Troy State 2.   Tennessee State 3.   Southern University 4.   Georgia Southern 5.   Montana 6.   Appalachian State 7.   Lehigh 8.   Youngstown State 9.   Hofstra10.   James Madison11.   Illinois State12.   Furman13.   Florida A&Mtie   Northern Iowa15.   Eastern Kentucky16.   South Florida17.   Portland State18.   Jackson State19.   East Tennessee State20.   Massachusetts21.   VILLANOVA22.   Stephen F. Austin23.   Tennessee Tech24.   Northern Arizona25.   North Carolina A&T

Teamlink.com top 25 (10/25/99)

No   Team    1.   Troy State 2.   Tennesee State 3.   Southern University 4.   Georgia Southern          5.   Montana                   6.   Appalachian State 7.   Lehigh               8.   Youngstown State 9.   Hofstra10.   Furman             11.   Florida A&M12.   Illinois State13.   James Madison      14.   South Florida15.   Northern Iowa        16.   Eastern Kentucky17.   Jackson State18.   VILLANOVA19.   Portland State20.   East Tennessee State21.   Massachusetts22.   Stephen F. Austin23.   Tennessee Tech24.   Elon25.   Western Illinois

ESPN/USA TODAY Top 25 (10/25/99)

No   Team    1.   Troy State 2.   Tennessee State 3.   Georgia Southern 4.   Southern University 5.   Montana 6.   Hofstra 7.   James Madison 8.   Lehigh 9.   Appalachian State10.   Youngstown State11.   Illinois State12.   Northern Iowa13.   Furman14.   Eastern Kentucky15.   Florida A & M16.   South Florida17.   Jackson State18.   East Tennessee State19.   Portland State20.   Massachusetts21.   VILLANOVA22.   Stephen F. Austin23.   Elon25.   Western Illinois25.   Delaware

TALLEY?S TENURE: Entering his 15th season on the Main Line, head coach Andy Talley can feel responsible for every facet of the Villanova football program, having started it from scratch in 1985. In his career at Villanova, Talley has recorded a 99-59-1 mark making him the all-time winningest coach in Villanova history. Talley?s 20-year overall coaching record currently stands at 126-77-2. During his career as the Wildcat mentor, Talley has guided Villanova to five NCAA playoff appearances (1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997), three Conference titles and one Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy. In 1997, Talley garnered the Eddie Robinson Award and the AFCA/GTE National Coach of the Year.

HEADING FOR THE CENTURY MARK: Entering play this Saturday at New Hampshire, Wildcat head coach Andy Talley is just one win shy of 100 career Villanova victories. In 15 seasons on the Main Line, Talley has registered a 99-59-1 record. His overall career collegiate coaching record currently stands at 126-77-2. Talley garnered his 100th overall career win on Oct. 5, 1996 with a 38-27 win at Connecticut.

ANOTHER RECORD: Senior quarterback Chris Boden has made breaking records a habit throughout his Villanova career and this season has been no different. Last week against Northeastern, Boden became the all-time leader in the history of the Atlantic 10 for passing yards in a career, eclipsing Connecticut?s Matt DeGennaro?s career record of 9,288 yards. After last week?s win over Northeastern, Boden now has tallied 9,328 career passing yards. This is the third Atlantic 10 record that he has broken this season. Earlier this season at Richmond, Boden established the conference mark for career touchdown passes (currently has 91) and against Connecticut on Oct. 16, he set an Atlantic 10 record for completions in a game with 43.

CLOSING IN: Quarterback Chris Boden has more records in his sight. Entering play this Saturday against New Hampshire, Boden has 790 career completions and is just 13 completions short of Matt DeGennaro?s all-time Atlantic 10 record for career completions. DeGennaro completed 803 passes from 1987-90 as a member of the Connecticut Huskies.

REACHING 2,000: For the third consecutive season, quarterback Chris Boden has reached the 2,000 yard passing mark. Entering play this Saturday against New Hampshire, Boden has recorded 2,240 yards during the1999 season. After eight games, Boden is 216-of-360 and 15 touchdowns. The San Clemente, Calif., native has thrown for over 3,000 yards the past two seasons (3,707 in 1997/3,050 in 1998) and he has recorded 9,328 passing yards in his career. In addition, he has 91 career touchdown passes compared to just 26 career interceptions in 1,298 attempts.

MORE BODEN: Senior quarterback Chris Boden will be making his 33rd consecutive start this Saturday versus New Hampshire. In his 32 straight starts, he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 32 games. In those 32 contests, Boden has tossed three or more scoring strikes 13 times. Only five times has Boden thrown just one touchdown pass in a game.

CAREER DAY: Junior running back Ducarmel Augustin turned in the finest day of his career last Saturday versus Northeastern. In the win, the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., native rushed a career-high 19 times for a career-best 147 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. Augustin also registered a career-long 55 yard run in the game. After playing just two plays against James Madison and missing the following game at William & Mary due to a hamstring injury, Augustin has returned to be a dominant force for the Wildcats. In the last two games, Augustin has carried the ball 33 times for 228 yards (6.9 yards per rush) and four touchdowns. For the season, Augustin has tallied 439 yards on 77 carries (5.7 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns and he has made 14 receptions for 153 yards.

GROUND ATTACK: In the win over Northeastern last Saturday, the Villanova offense posted a season-high 231 yards rushing. After struggling to run the football earlier in the season, the Wildcats have been very successful on the ground the last two weeks. Against Connecticut on Oct. 16, the ?Cats gained 110 yards, giving them 341 rushing yards in the past two weeks combined. For the season, Villanova has gained 918 yards on the ground.

HARRIOTT FINDS THE END ZONE: Ducarmel Augustin got some help with the Villanova running attack last Saturday from former high school teammate and current Wildcat teammateRoger Harriott. Harriott gained a season-high 50 yards on eight carries (6.3 yards per rush), including scoring his first touchdown of the season on a 12-yard run. Together, Augustin and Harriott accounted for 197 of Villanova's 231 rushing yards and four of the team?s six touchdowns. Harriott and Augustin were high school teammates at St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

FIRST DOWN FRENZY: Over the last two weeks, the Villanova offense has kept the chain gang extremely busy. After tallying a school record 34 first downs in a three overtime win at Connecticut on Oct. 16, the Wildcats registered 25 first downs this past Saturday versus Northeastern giving them 59 first downs in the last two weeks.

LEADING RECEIVER: Sophomore wide receiver Murle Sango has played like an All-Conference performer all season long for the Wildcats. Sango currently leads the Atlantic 10 in receptions with 65 (8.1 per game) and receiving yards with 710 to go along with six touchdowns. The next closest receiver in the league is Dave Klemic of Northeastern with 44 catches. The 65 receptions ranks him fifth all-time on the single season reception mark in Villanova school history. Sango has been especially effective the past two weeks, as he has tallied 22 receptions for 205 yards and two scores in wins over Connecticut and Northeastern. In 11 games last year, Sango had 32 catches for 422 yards and a score.

FRESHMAN PHENOM: One of Villanova?s top offensive performers is a redshirt freshman. After eight games, rookie Brian White leads all Atlantic 10 freshmen in receiving with 35 receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns. Last week against Northeastern, White registered five catches for 66 yards and a career-high two touchdowns. A week earlier at UConn, White was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, as he grabbed a career-best 10 receptions for a career-long 91 yards and a touchdown.

23 IN A ROW: Sophomore kicker Casey Hannon, who currently leads the Wildcats in scoring with 57 points, is currently riding streak of 23-straight made PATs. His lone miss came in the season opener at Air Force when he had a PAT blocked. For the year, Hannon is 11-of-15 in field goals and is 24-of-25 in PATs. Of his 11 made field goals, five have been from 40-yards or more, including a career-long 50-yard field goal versus James Madison on Oct. 2. This was just the fourth time in Villanova history that a kicker has made a field goal of 50-yards or more.

FIELD GOAL RECORD: Sophomore Casey Hannon is closing in on the Villanova school record for field goals in a season which is currently held by Mark Kiefer (1997) and Bill Hoffman (1992) who share the record of 13 field goals. Entering the New Hampshire game on Oct. 30, Hannon has made 11 field goals in 15 attempts.

STRONG AT SAFETY: Villanova boasts one of the top safety combinations in the Atlantic 10 Conference in senior strong safety DeLonne Kelly and junior free safety Braheem Powell. Entering play versus New Hampshire, Kelly is second on the team in total tackles with 67 and is second on the the team in tackles for loss with five, while Powell is third on the squad in tackles with 64. Powell also leads the team in interceptions with three and he has tallied three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Powell started all 11 games last year at cornerback before switching to free safety in 1999.

STEPPING-UP: The Villanova defense got off to a bad start last Saturday against Northeastern, when starting middle linebacker David Heckard injured his knee in warm-ups and was forced to miss the game. With Heckard out of action, redshirt freshman Jason McMillion made his second career start and tallied a game-high 15 tackles to go with a tackle for loss and a quarterback sack. This is the second time this season that McMillion has played well when forced to start. Against Richmond on Sept. 11, McMillion started for the injured Heckard and recorded seven tackles, a sack and tackle for loss in his first collegiate start. For his efforts that week against Richmond, McMillion was named Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week. McMillion is expected to start this Saturday at middle linebacker for the Wildcats.

FAMILIAR TERRITORY: Of all the players on the Villanova roster, senior linebacker Shaun Lyons is most familiar with New Hampshire football. Lyons? older brother Ray played at New Hampshire from 1992-95 and earned first team All-Yankee Conference acclaim as a defensive lineman in 1995. Shaun Lyons has been a play-maker on defense for Villanova his entire career. A starter in 38-straight games, Lyons has led Villanova in tackles the past two seasons (113 in 1997/ 104 in 1998) and is currently leading this year's team in tackles with 71 total stops. In addition to his 71 tackles, Lyons has three sacks, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

LIKE OLD TIMES: They may be playing on a different coast, but for quarterback Chris Boden and center Rob Richardson things are very similar to how they were at San Clemente High School in San Clemente, Calif. In Boden?s only season as a high school starter in 1995, his center was Richardson. Since the fifth game of last season, Boden and Richardson have been reunited as quarterback and center for head coach Andy Talley and the Wildcats.

MIRACULOUS RECOVERY: Senior running back Roger Harriott continues his amazing comeback. On April 19 during spring practice, Harriott tore both his ACL and MCL and was expected to be sidelined for the season. Harriott defied all odds and returned to the field just four and a half months following the injury on Sept. 11 at Richmond. Against Richmond on Sept. 11, Harriott made his return and carried the ball five times for 12 yards. For the year, Harriott has tallied 217 yards on 54 carries for an average of 4.0 yards per rush.

IRON MAN: Offensive tackle Stan Bennett has been an iron man for the Villanova Wildcats. Bennett, who has started every game of his Wildcat career, will be making his 33rd-straight start this week against New Hampshire. As a true freshman in 1997, Bennett started all 13 games at guard before moving to tackle last year where he started all 11 contests.

OVERTIME HISTORY: During Andy Talley?s tenure as Villanova?s head football coach, the Wildcats have participated in six overtime games and have tallied a 4-2 record. Four of the six overtime games have been played at Villanova Stadium. Villanova has played one overtime game in each of the past two seasons. Last week, Villanova defeated UConn, 48-45, in triple overtime in a game played in Storrs, Conn. Last year (Sept. 12, 1998), the ?Cats defeated Delaware 34-31 on Casey Hannon?s 35-yard field goal in the home opener.

BAD NEWS: The 1999 Villanova football season started off on a sour note when it was learned a week before pre-season camp on August 2 that All-American running back Brian Westbrook would be lost for the season due to a knee injury. The 5-9, 195 pound junior underwent an arthroscopic procedure in March and after an extensive rehabilitation program did not produce the desired results, Westbrook opted to have reconstructive surgery. Westbrook is coming off a sensational sophomore season where he became the first player in the history of NCAA football at any level to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards in the same season. In 11 games in 1998, Westbrook gained 1,046 yards on 200 carries and scored 10 touchdowns and he made 89 receptions for 1,144 yards and 15 touchdowns. In addition, the Ft. Washington, Md., native tallied 836 yards in returns, including returning one kickoff for a touchdown. Besides leading all of I-AA in scoring with 160 points, Westbrook established an NCAA I-AA record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,026. For his efforts last season, Westbrook was named first team All-American by both the Associated Press and The Sports Network. Westbrook will medically redshirt this year and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2000 season.

WILDCATS ON THE RADIO: Every Villanova football game this season will be carried live by the Villanova Football Radio Network. The flagship station for the Wildcats this season will be WFIL-AM 560. Also carrying Wildcat games in 1999 will be WJNN-FM 106.7 out of Cape May, N.J. Returning for his 13th season as Villanova?s play-by-play man is Joe Eichhorn. Joining Eichhorn for an eighth consecutive year is Ryan Fannon. All 11 Wildcat gridiron contests will be broadcast live, with a pre-game show airing 30 minutes prior to kickoff during away games and one hour prior to kickoff for home games.

ANDY TALLEY RADIO SHOW: Continuing in 1999, WFIL-AM 560-AM, WZZD-AM 990 and WJNN-FM 106.7, will broadcast the Andy Talley Radio Show. The one-hour call-in show is hosted by color commentator Ryan Fannon and will provide a weekly recap of Villanova football games, as well as a preview of upcoming contests. The show will be held at the Wild Onion Restaurant located just up the street from Villanova Stadium on Conestoga Road. Throughout the one-hour program, Fannon and Coach Talley will take questions concerning all the teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, as well as NCAA I-AA football on a national scene. The show will take place on Thursday nights before road games at 6 p.m., and at 5 p.m. following Wildcat home games.

1999 Game-By-Game

Game One
Air Force 37, Villanova 13
Sept. 4, 1999 - Falcon Stadium
Colorado Springs, Colo.

For the third time in the last four years, Villanova opened its season against a I-A opponent, as the ?Cats traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., to take on the Air Force Falcons. Despite a valiant effort by the Wildcats, Air Force wore down the ?Cats to win 37-13.

After the Villanova defense stopped the Falcons on three straight downs on the game?s first possession, Villanova drove 69 yards on seven plays in 2:19 and scored the first points of the game on a 12-yard pass from quarterback Chris Boden to sophomore wide receiver Murle Sango. Air Force responded on its next drive and evened the game at 7-7 on a Scott Becker one-yard run on fourth and goal. The Falcons would score 24 straight points to take a 24-7 halftime advantage.

With 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Villanova scored its second touchdown of the game when Boden and Sango teamed up again on a 39-yard scoring strike. The extra point was blocked and Villanova trailed 24-13 entering the fourth stanza.

Air Force put the game away with 5:01 left, when Jeremy Laster scored on a 13-yard scamper. The Falcons would add a late touchdown with 46 seconds remaining in the game and emerge victorious with a 37-13 victory.

Boden was sensational in the loss for the ?Cats, completing 27-of-45 for 304 yards and two scores. Sango equalled his career-high with eight catches for 109 yards and a career-best two touchdowns, while senior tight end Joe Kavanaugh recorded career-highs of seven receptions for 78 yards. On defense, senior strong safety DeLonne Kelly registered 18 tackles, while senior cornerback Hezekiah Lewis and junior linebacker Joe Quartey were each credited with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Air Force was paced by quarterback Cale Bonds who completed 11-of-17 for 199 yards. Wide receiver Matt Farmer made seven catches for 92 yards. On the ground, Air Force rushed for 385 yards led by Leotis Palmer who gained 73 yards and one touchdown on four carries.

For the game, Air Force amassed 584 yards of total offense compared to Villanova who tallied 329 yards of total offense. Villanova was only able to rush for 25 yards.

Game Two
Villanova 35, No. 12 Richmond 30
Sept. 11, 1999 - UR Stadium
Richmond, Va.

In last week?s five-point Villanova victory over Richmond, senior quarterback Chris Boden had yet another outstanding day behind center. Boden completed 19-of-31 passes on the afternoon for 250 yards and two touchdowns. With his two touchdowns, he set the all-time Atlantic 10/Yankee Conference record for career touchdown passes with 79, breaking the old mark of 78 set by Rhode Island?s Tom Ehrhardt between 1984-86. On the receiving end of eight of his passes was Murle Sango, who had 104 yards worth of receptions, including touchdown catches of 11 and 30 yards. Sango tied his career high for receptions and touchdowns, which he had set the week before against Air Force. He has now registered 100 yards receiving in each of the Wildcats? first two games.

On the ground for the `Cats, junior Ducarmel Augustin rushed for 67 yards on a career-high 18 carries and scored two touchdowns. Coming up strong on the defensive end were Hezekiah Lewis and DeLonne Kelly who each had 10 tackles.

Villanova started the scoring early going ahead, 7-0, just 3:57 into the game on a five-yard touchdown run by Augustin. Richmond cut the lead to 7-3 after one quarter of play on a 33-yard field goal by Doug Kirchner. The high-powered Wildcat offense was just that in the second quarter, as Sango caught two Boden passes for scores to send Villanova ahead 21-3. With no time remaining on the clock before halftime, however, the Spiders scored on a 40-yard pass from Jimmie Miles to Dwaune Jones to cut the lead to 21-10.

At the 8:14 mark of the third quarter, the Wildcats extended their lead once again on a 15-yard scoring run by Augustin. Miles led Richmond back again and threw another scoring strike, this time on an eight-yard pass to Scott Fulton with 1:04 remaining in the third. The Spiders extra point failed, however, and the score stood at 28-16 after three quarters of play.

In the fourth quarter, Richmond edged to within five points, as Miles hit Ryan Tolhurst from 10 yards out to trim the lead to 28-23. The Wildcats ran down some clock on their next drive and scored at the 6:32 mark on a one-yard touchdown plunge by redshirt freshman Cameron Cross. The Spiders scored again on Miles? fourth touchdown pass of the day and got the ball back with time for one last drive. Villanova junior Kristian Ward sealed the victory for the Wildcats on third down, as he sacked Miles for a six-yard loss with time winding down.

Game Three
No. 21 Villanova 26, No. 2 Massachusetts 21
Sept. 18, 1999 - Villanova Stadium
Villanova, Pa.

It was the perfect Homecoming celebration for the Wildcat football team at Villanova Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 18, as they jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat the No. 2 ranked Massachusetts Minutemen by a score of 26-21. The victory was the second straight in the Atlantic 10 for the Wildcats, who improve to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

Villanova held a 3-0 lead at the end of one quarter of play on a 21-yard field goal by Casey Hannon. The `Cats increased that lead to 6-0 at the 12:07 mark of the second quarter on Hannon?s second field goal of the day, from 41 yards out. Less than four minutes later, Villanova scored the game?s first touchdown on a four-yard run by fullback Cameron Cross. A two-point conversion on a pass from quarterback Chris Boden to tight end Joe Kavanaugh gave the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.

With 4:08 remaining in the first half, tailback Ducarmel Augustin scored on a 44-yard run to increase the Villanova lead to 21-0. Massachusetts trimmed the margin to 21-7 with eight seconds left before intermission, as quarterback Todd Bankhead took it in himself from one-yard out.

Just 39 seconds into the third quarter, Wildcat defensivetackle Kwesi Solomon tackled Bankhead in the endzone for a safety making it a 23-7 ballgame. After UMass rallied to within 23-14 on a Marcel Shipp seven-yard run, Hannon kicked his third field goal of the day, a career-high 46-yarder, to give Villanova a 26-14 advantage.

The Minutemen tried once again to rally in the fourth quarter on a 39-yard touchdown reception by Shipp which cut the lead to five points. The Wildcat defense held strong in the final minutes, however, as Villanova defeated UMass 26-21.

On the ground for the Wildcats, Augustin rushed for a career-best 122 yards on 13 carries. It was the first career 100-yard rushing game for the junior tailback. For Villanova on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Joe Quartey had 11 tackles and two sacks.

Game Four
No. 14 Villanova 34, Pennsylvania 6
Sept. 25, 1999 - Franklin Field
Philadelphia, Pa.

Last week against the University of Pennsylvania, Boden set a school record for passing yards in a game with 424. He ended the contest completing 33-of-43 passes for 424 yards, tallying two touchdowns and two interceptions. It is the third time a Villanova quarterback has thrown for over 400 yards in a game, and Boden has done it all three times. In addition, with his two touchdowns, he has thrown a scoring pass in 28 consecutive games.

On the receiving end of 125 of Boden?s yards was sophomore Murle Sango, who caught a career-high 10 passes, including his fourth touchdown of the season. Redshirt freshman receiver Brian White had a career day as well, catching six passes for 78 yards and his first career touchdown. Kicker Casey Hannon hit on two more field goals against the Quakers, and has now made five-of-six on the year. On defense for the `Cats, Kwesi Solomon had one and a half sacks.

Villanova took a 3-0 lead into the second quarter against Penn, and increased that lead to 10-0 as White caught his first ever touchdown pass, a 10-yarder from Boden. At the 6:39 mark of the second quarter, Pennsylvania kicker Jason Feinberg kicked a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3. With only 3:44 remaining until intermission, however, sophomore defensive end Joe Keating picked off a Quaker pass and took it 16 yards for the score to give the Wildcats a 17-3 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Boden recorded his second touchdown of the day, hitting sophomore running back Luke Stopper from 16 yards out to increase the Villanova lead to 24-3 after three quarters of play. With 12:51 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats added to their lead with a 28-yard field goal by Hannon. Just 4:50 later, freshman running back Ramond Jones scored his first collegiate touchdown on a two-yard rush. With 24 unanswered points by Villanova, the `Cats owned a 34-3 lead. Pennsylvania would add a 45-yard field goal by Feinberg, but it would not matter as the Wildcats headed back to the Main Line with a 34-6 victory.

Game Five
No. 22 James Madison 23, No. 11 Villanova 20
Oct. 2, 1999 - Villanova Stadium
Villanova, Pa.

On Saturday, Oct. 2, at Villanova Stadium, the Villanova football team was defeated by James Madison University, 23-20, as a potential game-tying field goal by Wildcat sophomore kicker Casey Hannon fell short with seven seconds remaining in regulation. The Dukes improved to 4-1 overall on the season, and remained perfect in the Atlantic 10 with the win at 4-0. The Villanova loss dropped its record to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Atlantic 10 play.

On its first possession of the game, James Madison scored in seven plays as the Dukes drove 84 yards in only 1:40. The drive was highlighted by an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Charles Barry to wide receiver Earnest Payton. With only 3:29 to go in the first quarter, Hannon kicked a career-best 50-yard field goal to cut the James Madison lead to 7-3.

After a Dukes? punt, the Wildcats got the ball with 1:23 left in the first quarter and began an eight play 36-yard drive that resulted in a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Boden to tight end Joe Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh?s first career touchdown gave Villanova its first lead of the contest at 10-7. James Madison fought back and converted on two Mike Glover field goals, from 34 and 27 yards out, to give the Dukes a 13-10 lead at intermission.

In the third quarter, the Dukes? got the ball back at the Villanova 20 yard line after a fumble by Wildcat running back Roger Harriott. James Madison scored again four plays later on Glover?s third field goal of the day, from 37 yards away, to increase the Dukes? lead to 16-10. Hannon answered with his second field goal of the afternoon to cut the JMU lead to 16-13.

With 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, Villanova defensive back Reginald Danage blocked a James Madison punt and fellow defensive back DeLonne Kelly picked up the fumble and raced seven yards for a Wildcat touchdown. The score once again gave the `Cats the lead at 20-16.

Beginning on their own 15-yard line with 14:13 left in the fourth quarter after a Villanova punt, the Dukes began another long scoring drive that would eventually result in what would be the game-winning score on a 31-yard scamper by James Madison running back Curtis Keaton. Keaton finished the day with 86 yards on 20 carries.

The Wildcats had one last chance as they regained the ball at their own 32 with 1:53 remaining. Villanova got the ball down to the JMU 43 on a fourth-and-one run by fullback Ramond Jones. After three straight incompletions by Boden, the `Cats set up for a 47-yard field goal. Hannon?s fourth attempt of the day fell short, however, and the Dukes escaped with a 23-20 victory.

For the Wildcats in the loss, Boden completed 34-of-60 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown. On the receiving end of 10 of Boden?s passes was Kavanaugh, who caught 10 balls for 60 yards and one score.

Game Six
William & Mary 45, No. 18 Villanova 10
Oct. 9, 1999 - Zable Stadium
Williamsburg, Va.

Traveling to Williamsburg, Va., on Saturday, Oct. 9, the Villanova football team lost to the Tribe, 45-10, at Zable Stadium. With the loss, the Wildcats drop to 3-3 overall on the season, and 2-2 in Atlantic 10 play.

William & Mary jumped out to an early lead 2:47 into the first quarter, when Hameen Ali caught an 18-yard strike from Tribe quarterback David Corley. Less than three minutes later, Corley went deep, hitting wide receiver Dave Conklin from 74 yards out. After a Casey Hannon field goal for the Wildcats which cut the lead to 11, William & Mary struck again, as Ali scored on a 14-yard run to give the Tribe a 21-3 lead after one quarter of play.

Getting the ball to begin the second quarter after a William & Mary punt, Villanova went on a six-play, 48-yard drive, resulting in a four-yard touchdown pass from quarter back Chris Boden to wide receiver Steve Ward. Boden?s touchdown, extending his streak of at least one touchdown to 30 straight games, cut the Tribe lead to 21-10.

On the next Wildcat drive, William & Mary defensive back Jimmy Cerminaro picked off a Boden pass and scampered 13 yards for a Tribe score, extending their lead to 28-10. William & Mary would score once more before the half ended, on a 45-yard Corley pass to Chris Rosier, giving the Tribe a 35-10 lead at intermission.

In the second half, William & Mary would score twice more, on a Brett Sterba 38-yard field goal and a Scott Osborne 29-yard touchdown reception. Corley?s fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon gave the Tribe 24 unanswered points and a 45-10 lead. The William & Mary defense held the ?Cats scoreless the rest of the way, as the Tribe took a 45-10 victory.

For Villanova in the loss, Boden completed 20-of-36 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Murle Sango caught six passes for 88 yards for the Wildcats.

Leading William & Mary was Corley, who completed 13-of-18 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns. Ali rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries, scoring once on a touchdown run and another on a touchdown reception.

Game Seven
Villanova 48, Connecticut 45 (3OT)
Oct. 16, 1999 - Memorial Stadium
Storrs, Conn

Villanova broke a two-game losing streak last Saturday by taking a 48-45 victory in a triple overtime thriller in Storrs, Conn., against the UConn Huskies. The victory improved the Wildcats' 1999 record to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference play.

Last week's victory against Connecticut was a record-setting day for several Villanova players. Senior quarterback Chris Boden recorded several milestones in the game. Boden completed 43-of-69 passes for 444 yards and four touchdowns. The 43 completions broke the Atlantic 10 record of 40 completions, which he also held. In addition, he broke his own school record for yards in a game and tied the Wildcat mark for attempts in a game. With four touchdown passes against the Huskies, Boden has now thrown for one or more scores in 31 straight games. With only 35 more completions and 183 yards, he will become the all-time Atlantic 10 leader in each category. For his outstanding day, Boden was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Wide receivers Murle Sango and Brian White had tremendous games as well. Sango set a new career-high in catches with 13 for 115 yards and two scores. White, a Wildcat freshman, had a career day with 10 catches for 91 yards and one touchdown. White was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for his efforts.

Villanova had the first quarter's only score, capping off a four-play, 71-yard drive on a 16-yard touchdown run by running back Ducarmel Augustin. The Huskies quickly retaliated in the second quarter, scoring on an eight-run scamper by Taber Small at the 12:50 mark.

With only 2:27 remaining before intermission, Connecticut's Jordan Younger returned a Chris Birch punt 68 yards for a touchdown to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead at the half. The Wildcats cut the Connecticut lead to 14-10 at the 8:45 mark in the third quarter on a 44-yard field goal by kicker Casey Hannon. After stopping the Huskies on their next drive, Villanova got the ball back with 6:14 remaining in the quarter. The `Cats drove 90 yards in 14 plays and 5:13, regaining the lead on a six-yard pass from Boden to White. With Villanova holding a 20-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Connecticut struck back on a 48-yard Brian Hoffman touchdown pass to John Fitzsimmons to give the Huskies a one-point lead at 21-20. Connecticut extended that lead to 28-20 just over three minutes later on a one-yard run by Taber. The Wildcats rallied again, however, and pulled within two on a Boden pass to Sango with 3:59 left in regulation. Villanova decided to go for the two-point conversion and tied the game on a pass to tight end Joe Kavanaugh, sending the game into overtime. The Wildcats and Huskies went touchdown for touchdown in each of the first two overtime periods. Villanova scores by Sango and fullback Cameron Cross helped send the game into its third overtime period. Getting the ball first in the third extra session, Connecticut could manage only a Marc Hickok field goal to pull ahead 45-42. The third overtime would prove to be the charm for the Wildcats, as they put the game away, 48-45, on a Boden to Kavanaugh pass.

Game Eight
No. 24 Villanova 45, Northeastern 16
Oct. 23, 1999 - Villanova Stadium
Villanova, Pa.

After winning in a triple overtime marathon one week earlier, the Villanova football team decided to put the game away early on Saturday, Oct. 23, against Northeastern. The Wildcats scored three third-quarter touchdowns against the Huskies en route to a 45-16 win at Villanova Stadium. The victory improved Villanova?s record to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in Atlantic 10 play, while Northeastern fell to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference action.

The Wildcat offense could not be stopped all day long, as they racked up 473 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Chris Boden became the Atlantic 10 Conference?s all-time leader in careerpassing yardage. Boden ended the day completing 22-of-36 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. On the receiving end of two Boden scores was Brian White, who caught five passes for 66 yards. On the ground, running back Ducarmel Augustin carried the ball a career-high 19 times for a career-best 149 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

With the game still scoreless at the 8:45 mark of the second quarter, Boden found White from 17 yards out to give the `Cats a 7-0 lead. Villanova extended its lead to 10-0 at the half, as kicker Casey Hannon belted an 35-yard field goal with 16 seconds left before intermission.

Senior tailback Roger Harriott began the Wildcats? third quarter scoring spree at the 10:29 mark, taking a handoff and racing 12 yards for his first score of the year. Just over three minutes later, Augustin scored his first of three touchdowns to increase the Villanova lead to 24-0. After a Northeastern four-yard touchdown run by Sean Connor made it a 24-8 game, Augustin found the endzone for the second time in the third quarter to give the `Cats a 31-8 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, White and Augustin each scored again within a three-minute time frame to put the game away. The Wildcats cruised on to a 45-16 victory, for their second straight victory. Leading a strong Villanova defensive effort was Jason McMillion, who tallied 15 tackles and one sack.

Villanova Depth Chart

OFFENSE

 TE 80  Joe Kavanaugh (6-7, 240, Sr)    85  Sean McCarthy (6-5,270, RFr)   OT 71  Stan Bennett (6-5, 295, Jr)    72  Chris Potter (6-5, 295, Fr)   OG 57  Ryan Knight (6-1, 290, Sr)    61  Brian Lewis (6-1, 260, So)  C  62  Robert Richardson (6-3, 275, So)     57  Ryan Knight (6-1, 290, Sr)  OT 70  Eamonn Allen  (6-5, 275, So)    74  Jason Laskowski (6-4, 265, Jr)  OG 53  Matt Engel (6-4, 285, Sr)    76  Adam Barondess (6-3, 270, So)  QB 18  Chris Boden  (6-2, 215, Sr)    10  Brett Gordon (5-10, 170, RFr)   RB 24  Ducarmel Augustin (6-0, 225, Jr)     7  Roger Harriott (5-8, 185, Sr)    FB 41  Cameron Cross (6-0, 210, RFr)     47  Ramond Jones (6-1, 230, Fr)  WR 81  Steve Ward (6-4, 200, Jr)    14  Conor Kinsella (6-1, 210, Jr)   WR  2  Murle Sango (5-9, 175, So)    11  Brian White  (5-10, 175, RFr)

DEFENSE

 DE 87  Darren Lenz (6-6, 255, Jr)    92  Kristian Ward (6-1, 255, Jr)  DT 64  Kwesi Solomon (6-3, 270, So)    98  Chuck Tornetta (6-0, 290, Fr)  DT 90  Willie Lewis (5-11, 270, Jr)     97  Craig Johnson (5-11, 280, Sr)  DE 59  Mark Crook (6-3, 245, Sr)     43  Joe Keating (6-2, 230, So)  OLB 13  Joe Quartey (6-0, 220, Jr)     45  Aaron Weems  (6-2, 225, Sr) ILB 56  David Heckard (6-0, 225, Sr)     42  Jason McMillion  (5-11, 225, RFr) OLB 54  Shaun Lyons (6-1, 230, Sr)    45  Aaron Weems (6-2, 225, Sr)   CB  3  Hezekiah Lewis (5-9, 175, Jr.)     21  Reggie Danage (5-9, 175, RFr)  CB 23  Brian Berko-Boateng (5-9, 165, So)    30  Aaron Smith (5-7, 170, Fr)   SS  1  DeLonne Kelly (5-9, 185, Sr)     15  Matt Bride (5-9, 195, Jr)   FS  9  Braheem Powell (6-1, 190, Jr)    36  Matt Reiter (6-1, 190, Jr) 

SPECIALISTS

 PK 12  Casey Hannon  (6-0, 185, So)     31  Chris Birch (6-2, 185, So)   P  31  Chris Birch  (6-2, 185, So)     14  Conor Kinsella (6-1, 210, Jr)  H   8  Kevin Rogers (6-0, 180, Jr)    10  Brett Gordon (5-10, 170, RFr)
 LS 45  Aaron Weems (6-2, 225, Sr)     85  Sean McCarthy (6-5, 270, RFr)   KR  2  Murle Sango (5-9, 175, So)     29  Gary Johnson (5-8, 185   PR  2  Murle Sango (5-9, 170, So)    11  Brian White (5-10, 175, RFr)

New Hampshire Depth Chart

OFFENSE

LT   66   Al Williams (Jr., 6-5, 298)     67   Stephen Roper (So., 6-2, 314)          LG   69   Jeff Hayes (Sr., 6-3, 291)      53   Alex Rojas (Jr., 6-1, 315)
C   51   Jason Ball (So., 6-2, 288)    53   Brian Barbato (Fr., 6-3, 240)      R   63   Tim Sample (So., 6-2, 270)    59   Matt Bauer (Sr., 6-6, 270)      RT  76   Ryan Ward (Jr., 6-7, 297)    65   Nick Guance (Fr., 6-3, 265)
TE  82   Mike Depalma (Jr., 6-3, 251)    87   Kane Anderson (RFr., 6-4, 244)
WR   5   Kamau Peterson (Jr., 6-0, 187)     3   Brian Mallette (So., 6-1, 194)
WR   8   Jermaine Washington (Sr., 5-10, 171)    80   Michael Taylor (RFr., 6-2, 179)
QB  12   Ryan Day (So., 6-1, 208)    14   Mike Apple (Jr., 6-3, 204)   FB  44   Dan Kreider (Sr., 6-0, 245)    41   Rowan Baptiste (Sr., 5-11, 237)
TB   6   Dan Curran (Sr., 6-0, 211)    40   Stephen Lewis (Fr., 5-10, 200)

DEFENSE

DE   70   Jody Trunfio (Sr., 6-2, 256)     81   Brad Trottler (Jr., 6-2, 249)
DT   75   Dave Hinchman (RFr., 6-3, 255)     92   Manny Ortiz (So., 6-4, 268)
DT   54   Ned Finneran (So., 6-2, 261)     92   Manny Ortiz (So., 6-4, 268)   DE   62   Mike Wells (So., 6-3, 284)     70   Sean Maxwell (RFr., 6-6, 249)
OLB  31   Brett Bashaw (So., 6-2, 199)     47   Chris Hanaka (RFr., 6-4, 204) 
ILB  55   Jon Oosterhuis (So., 6-4, 239)     56   Bill Malast (So., 5-10, 225)    
OLB  58   Chris Robinson (Fr., 6-3, 205)     43   Kevin Mooney (Sr., 6-0, 198)      CB   32   Mike Szweda (Sr., 6-1, 196)      9   Frankie Smith (Jr., 5-10, 175)   
SS   37   Wade Rowcliffe (Sr., 6-0, 201)     43   Kevin Mooney (Sr., 6-0, 198)
FS   7   Czar Wiley (RFr., 6-2, 174)    33   Erik Mitchell (Jr., 6-0, 296)
CB  23   Jason Marshall (Jr., 5-11, 183)    24   Bryce Scottron (So., 5-10, 185)

SPECIALISTS

PK  22   Peter Carbonara (So., 5-10, 193)       20   Shawn MacLean (So., 6-1, 185)
P   20   Shawn MacLean (So., 6-1, 185)    22   Peter Carbonara (So., 5-10, 193)
LS 22   Peter Carbonara (So., 5-10, 193)   20   Shawn MacLean (So., 6-1, 185)   Hold 12   Ryan Day (RFr., 6-1, 200)     14   Mike Apple (Jr., 6-3, 204)
KR  8   Jermaine Washington (Sr., 5-10, 171)   15   Imion Powell (RFr., 5-4, 166)             PR 15   Imion Powell (RFr., 5-4, 166)   33   Erik Mitchell (Jr., 6-0, 196)

1999 INDIVIDUAL SEASON HIGHS
Rushing Attempts 19, Augustin vs. N?eastern
Rushing Yards 147, Augustin vs. N?eastern
Rushing Touchdowns 3, Augustin vs. N?eastern
Passing Attempts 69, Boden vs. UConn
Pass Completions 43, Boden vs. UConn
Passing Yards 444, Boden vs. UConn
Passing Touchdowns 4, Boden vs. UConn
Total Offense 426, Boden vs. UConn
Receptions 13, Sango vs. UConn
Receiving Yards 125, Sango vs. Penn
Receiving Touchdowns 2, Sango/White vs. numerous teams

Points 18, Augustin vs. N?eastern
Field Goals 3, Hannon vs. UMass
Extra Points 6, Hannon vs. UConn, N?eastern
Interceptions 1, by six players
Most Tackles 18, Kelly vs. AF
Most Kickoff Return Yards 89, Sango vs. JMU
Most Punt Return Yards 38, Sango vs. JMU
All-Purpose Yards 186, Sango vs. Penn

1999 TEAM OFFENSE SEASON HIGHS
First Downs 34, vs. UConn
Rushing Yards 231, vs. N?eastern
Pass Completions 43, vs. UConn
Passing Yards 444, vs. UConn
Total Offense 554, vs. UConn
Most Plays 101, vs. UConn
Touchdowns 6, vs. UConn. N?eastern
Points 48, vs. UConn
Field Goals 3 vs. UMass

1999 TEAM DEFENSE SEASON HIGHS
Fewest First Downs 13, vs. JMU
Fewest Offensive Yards 215, vs. Penn
Fewest Pass Completions 11, vs. AF
Fewest Passing Yards 108, vs. Penn
Fewest Rushing Yards 104, vs. UMass
Most Turnovers Gained 4, vs. UMas
Most Fumbles Recovered 2, vs. AF, UMass, W&M, UConn
Most Passes Intercepted 2 vs. UMass, UConn
Most Sacks 7 vs. UMass

THE LAST TIME

VILLANOVA SHUTOUT AN OPPONENT:
Aug. 28, 1997 - Villanova 64, West Chester 0
VILLANOVA WAS SHUTOUT:
Nov. 9, 1996 - UNH 34, Villanova 0
A WILDCAT RETURNED A KICKOFF FOR A TD:
Sept. 5, 1998 - Brian Westbrook vs. Pittsburgh 89
yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A KICKOFF FOR A TD:
Oct. 16, 1994 - Dwight Robinson, JMU, 94 yds.
A WILDCAT RETURNED A PUNT FOR A TD:
Oct. 25, 1980 - David Martin vs. VMI, 75 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A PUNT FOR A TD:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Jordan Younger, UConn, 68 yds.
VILLANOVA BLOCKED A PUNT:
Oct. 2, 1999 - vs. James Madison
THE OPPONENT BLOCKED A PUNT:
Oct. 3 ,1998 - Maine
A WILDCAT INTERCEPTED THREE PASSES:
Nov. 30, 1990 - Orin Solomon vs. UNH
VILLANOVA RETURNED AN INT. FOR TD:
Sept. 25, 1999 - Joe Keating vs. Pennsylvania 16
yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED AN INT. FOR A TD:
Oct. 9, 1999 - Jimmy Cerminaro, W&M, 13 yds.
VILLANOVA RETURNED A FUMBLE FOR A TD:
Sept. 26, 1998- Aaron Weems vs. W&M 21 yds.
AN OPPOSING PLAYER RETURNED A FUMBLE FOR A TD:
Sept. 12, 1998 - Dale Koscielski , Delaware, 15 yds.
A WILDCAT KICKED FIVE FIELD GOALS IN A GAME:
Nov. 18, 1995 - Mark Kiefer vs. Richmond
37, 25, 42, 30, 30 yds.
A WILDCAT RUSHED FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 23, 1999- Ducarmel Augustin (19/147),
vs. Northeastern
TWO WILDCATS RUSHED FOR 100 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 31, 1998 - Brian Westbrook (13/112) &
Roger Harriott (14/100) vs. Fordham
A WILDCAT PASSED FOR OVER 300 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 16 ,1999 - Chris Boden vs. UConn, 444 yards
A WILDCAT PASSED FOR OVER 400 YARDS IN A GAME:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Chris Boden vs. UConn, 444 yards
A WILDCAT HAD OVER 100 YARDS RECEIVING:
Oct. 16, 1999 - Murle Sango (13/115)
Oct. 16, 1999 - Steve Ward (8/112)
A WILDCAT HAD OVER 200 YARDS RECEIVING:
Nov. 2, 1996 - Brian Finneran vs. URI, 229 yds.
VILLANOVA PLAYED AN OVERTIME GAME:
Oct.. 16, 1999 - VU 48, Connecticut 45 (triple OT)
VILLANOVA PLAYED A NIGHT GAME:
Sept. 25, 1999 - Villanova 34, Pennsylvania 6