Football 9/4/2015 12:00:00 AM

Villanova/Connecticut Post-Game Notes

Sept. 4, 2015

Villanova played an FBS opponent for the 20th time since 1988. In those games, the Wildcats are now 3-17 (.150) overall, with eight of the losses coming by 10 or fewer points.
Villanova falls to 58-57-2 (.504) all-time in season openers, including 14-17 (.452) during the 31-year tenure of head coach Andy Talley. All but one of the season-opening losses in the Talley era have come to an FBS opponent.
The game marked the first meeting between the Wildcats and Connecticut since October 16, 1999, when the teams were Atlantic 10 Conference opponents. Despite the loss, Villanova still owns a 7-5 (.583) edge in the all-time series. The previous 11 meetings all took place between 1987 and 1999.
Sophomore running back Matt Gudzak recorded a career-long 44-yard kick return in the fourth quarter and finished the night with a game-high 88 all-purpose yards. He had 72 yards on two kickoff returns in addition to a 13-yard touchdown reception and a three-yard run. Gudzak's touchdown was the second of his career, and his first receiving score.
Junior defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon blocked a Connecticut extra point attempt in the first quarter. It was the first blocked kick for the Wildcats since Pat Williams blocked a punt against Morgan State last season on October 25, 2014. Villanova had not blocked a point-after try since the 2013 season finale against Delaware on November 23, 2013.
Senior safety Cameron McCurry led all players with 10 tackles in the game. This is the third time in his career that McCurry has reached double figures in tackles in a game, and the first time since he had a career-high 15 stops at Richmond last season on November 1, 2014.
Junior safety Wes Smith finished the game with a career-high eight tackles, including five solo stops.

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