VILLANOVA, Pa.—A successful preseason camp is nearing its conclusion as No. 19 Villanova (0-0) turns its attention to the 2018 season opener against FBS-member Temple (0-0) at Lincoln Financial Field this Saturday afternoon.  Kickoff time is 12 p.m. for the sixth meeting in the last 10 years between the schools, and the game can be seen live on ESPNEWS. 
 
Saturday's game will officially begin the 121^st season of Wildcats football.  In addition to the live TV broadcast, fans can listen to the game on 610 Sports WTEL-AM with Ryan Fannon and Kevin Reilly on the call.  Click on the links at the top of this release for additional game-related information, including broadcast links and live stats. 
 
Villanova is playing an FBS opponent for the 14^th straight year and the 22^nd time since 1985 with this year's matchup against the Owls, who tallied a narrow 16-13 victory over the Wildcats at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 2 last season.  Villanova and Temple have faced each other six times since 2003, with four of those six contests being decided by a single score.  Among the close games were Wildcats victories in 2003 (23-20 in double overtime) and 2009 (27-24).  The all-time series is knotted at 16-16-2 entering Saturday's season opener.
 
After having its 2017 campaign decimated by injuries, Villanova is primed for success in 2018 with several key players returning to full health in addition to a number of other returning players who gained significant experience last season.  Both national polls – the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll and the AFCS FCS Coaches Poll – have the Wildcats ranked No. 19 to begin the year.  It is the sixth straight season and the 10^th time in the last 11 years that Villanova has earned a preseason national ranking. 
 
The depth of the 2018 roster is evidenced by 17 players who have appeared in more than 20 career games for the Wildcats, including seven who are veterans of at least 30 collegiate contests.  Villanova counts 16 returning starters from a year ago, nine on the offensive side of the ball and seven on defense.  Senior safety Rob Rolle (Newfield, N.J.) is the team's most experienced returner with 40 career games played, while senior quarterback Zach Bednarczyk (Wallington, N.J.) has started all 26 of his career appearances under center.  They each return after sustaining season-ending injuries in Week 4 and Week 5, respectively, last season. 
 
Rolle will be the leader of a Wildcats defense which finished the 2017 season as one of the nation's best.  Villanova ranked fourth in the FCS ranks in rushing defense with 76.2 yards allowed per game and was also ninth in scoring defense with just 16.1 points allowed per contest.  The defense turned in one of its best efforts of the season against Temple in Week 2, holding the Owls to just 79 rushing yards on 27 carries.  That game was one of eight during the season in which the Wildcats held their opponent to fewer than 100 rushing yards.  Villanova gave up fewer than 50 yards on the ground four times. 
 
In addition to Rolle, a STATS FCS Preseason All-American and a member of the CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team, senior linebacker Jeff Steeb (Edgewater, N.J.) is another key member of the Wildcats defense.  Steeb led the team last season with eight tackles for loss and five sacks, and finished the year ranked second on the squad with 91 total tackles.  Other returning starters from 2017 are junior linebacker Drew Wiley (Pennington, N.J.), junior defensive end Jafonta Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y.), senior defensive tackle Bryan White (West Chester, Pa.), sophomore cornerback Jaquan Amos (Philadelphia, Pa.) and junior safety Julian Williams (Airmont, N.Y.).    
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Bednarczyk is set to resume what has been a stellar collegiate career thus far.  The southpaw is 16-10 as Villanova's starting quarterback, and begins the season ranked sixth in school history in career total offense (5,763 yards) and eighth in career passing (4,622 yards).  Bednarczyk was in the midst of a strong start to the 2017 season before being injured.  He completed just over 70 percent of his passes (85-of-121) while throwing for 1,068 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in five games.  Bednarczyk has had just 2.7 percent of his career passing attempts (17 of 628) picked off. 
 
The favorite target of Bednarczyk over the past two seasons has been senior tight end Ryan Bell (Basking Ridge, N.J.), who was second on the team last year with 302 receiving yards and three touchdowns in addition to tying for second with 18 total receptions despite not playing after Week 4 due to injury.  Bell and junior wide receiver Changa Hodge (East Stroudsburg, Pa.), along with senior running backs Aaron Forbes (Newburgh, N.Y.) and Matt Gudzak (Toms River, N.J.) join Bednarczyk in forming the nucleus of the Wildcats offense. 
 
Senior offensive lineman Ethan Greenidge (Flanders, N.Y.) is the anchor of a Villanova line that should be a strength of the team.  Greenidge earned first team Preseason All-America honors and was named to the Preseason All-Conference squad after being a second team All-CAA selection as a junior.  He has started 31 of the 33 collegiate games he has played in, and is one of four returning starters along the offensive line.  Seniors Brandon Hitner (Glen Mills, Pa.) and Louie Csaszar (Bethlehem, Pa.), along with sophomore Paul Grattan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) are the others. 
 
Villanova is beginning the 2018 season with consecutive road games against Temple and Lehigh (Sept. 8) before hosting Towson (Sept. 15) in the home and CAA Football opener in Week 3.