VILLANOVA, Pa.—Senior quarterback Zach Bednarczyk (Wallington, N.J.) connected with sophomore wide receiver Josh McGrigg (Alexandria, Va.) on the longest pass play in school history and No. 15 Villanova (3-1) scored four touchdowns on its first 12 plays from scrimmage in a 49-7 win over Bucknell (0-4) at Villanova Stadium on Saturday night. 
 
The record-setting pass from Bednarczyk to McGrigg was for a 90-yard touchdown with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter.  It was one of four touchdowns that the Wildcats scored in the opening period, with three of those scores coming in a span of less than three minutes late in the quarter.  Villanova amassed 609 yards of total offense and surpassed 300 yards both on the ground and through the air in the lopsided victory. 
 
On the only play of the Wildcats third offensive possession Bednarczyk dropped back from the 10-yard line and threw down the middle to a wide open McGrigg, who caught the ball at Villanova's 45-yard line and raced the rest of the way downfield for his first career touchdown.  The play eclipsed the previous school record of an 87-yard pass play from John Robertson to Kevin Gulyas during the 2014 season.
 
Bednarczyk had both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown while finishing the night with 319 yards of total offense.  He was 11-of-17 passing for 281 yards and also carried eight times for 38 yards and a score.  McGrigg finished the night with five catches for 187 yards and the long touchdown.  Five different players ran in for scores, with senior running back Aaron Forbes (Newburgh, N.Y.) scoring two rushing touchdowns. Senior running back Matt Gudzak (Toms River, N.J.), senior wide receiver Adeyemi DaSilva (Edgewater, N.J.) and junior running back D'Andre Pollard (Bensalem, Pa.) all scored touchdowns. 
 
The defense was on the field for just 51 plays and a total of 22:50 in the game, but was nevertheless opportunistic in forcing four turnovers and holding the Bison to just 128 total yards.  Freshman defensive backs Elijah Trent (Rockville, Md.) and Christian Benford (Randallstown, Md.) each recorded their second interceptions of the season, while sophomore safety Jaquan Amos (Philadelphia, Pa.) tallied his second career pick. 
 
It didn't take long from the game's outset for the Wildcats to force a miscue by the Bucknell offense.  On the game's very first play from scrimmage, junior defensive lineman Jafonta Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y.) forced a fumble and senior defensive lineman Bryan White (West Chester, Pa.) recovered the ball.  Forbes rushed for a seven-yard touchdown three plays later to open the game's scoring.    
 
"We talked to the guys all week and a lot of people asked me the question during the week of how our guys were going to respond [from last week's loss to Towson]," Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said.  "That was a question I had for my team and I think they responded in a really nice way.  I'm proud of our team and the way they came out and practiced all week, and the way we performed on the field today.  This is a great way to go out with winning all of our non-conference games.  We know we are going to be in some dog fights moving forward [with seven straight upcoming conference games]."
 
The early touchdown barrage for the Wildcats began with Forbes' first touchdown run of the season with 13:49 left in the first quarter.  Gudzak scored on a three-yard run with 4:52 remaining in the period, McGrigg caught the record-setting 90-yard pass at the 2:33 mark of the quarter and DaSilva rushed for a 29-yard touchdown on a lateral from Bednarczyk with 2:10 on the clock. 
 
Bucknell scored its only points of the game on a one-yard carry by quarterback Logan Bitikofer with 7:56 to play in the second quarter.  That touchdown came on a three-yard drive which started at the Villanova 12-yard line after a lost fumble on a punt return.  Bitikofer was 11-of-24 for 87 yards and three interceptions on the night. 
 
Villanova will go on the road for a matchup against Stony Brook next Saturday evening at 6 p.m.