Football vs. Colgate 9-9-23
19
Colgate COL 0-2 , 0-0
42
Winner Villanova VIL 2-0 , 0-0
Colgate COL
0-2 , 0-0
19
Final
42
Villanova VIL
2-0 , 0-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
COL Colgate 3 7 3 6 19
VIL Villanova 14 14 7 7 42

Game Recap: Football |

Record-Setting Passing Performance Leads Wildcats Past Colgate, 42-19, in Home Opener

VILLANOVA, Pa.—Fifth year quarterback Connor Watkins (Williamsport, Pa.) recorded the most efficient 300-yard passing game in school history and rushed for two touchdowns of his own as Villanova (2-0) outlasted the elements in a 42-19 victory over Colgate (0-2) in its home opener on Saturday night. Watkins threw for a career-high 310 passing yards on just eight completions – the fewest completions in a 300-yard passing game in the Wildcats record book. 
 
Fifth year wide receiver Rayjuon Pringle (Woodbridge, Va.) and sophomore Jaylan Sanchez (North Bergen, N.J.) combined for five of the team's eight receptions and accounted for nearly all of the receiving yards (296). Pringle had three catches for 168 yards and a touchdown; Sanchez caught passes of 68 yards and 60 yards to record his first career 100-yard receiving game on just those two receptions for a total of 128 yards. Watkins, sixth year running back Jalen Jackson (Richmond, Va.) and fifth year running back DeeWil Barlee (Upper Darby, Pa.) combined for four rushing touchdowns.
 
Villanova linebackers Danny Abraham (Randolph, Mass.) and Shane Hartzell (Perkasie, Pa.) each had a game-high eight tackles. Hartzell was credited with 1.5 of the team's three total sacks, while fifth year defensive lineman Jake Reichwein (Doylestown, Pa.) and senior safety Tyrell Mims (Philadelphia, Pa.) each added a tackle for loss. The Wildcats limited the Raiders to just 33 rushing yards on the night and 258 yards of total offense.
 
RECORD-SETTING PASSING EFFICIENCY
 
  • Watkins finished the night 8-of-11 through the air for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Prior to tonight's game the fewest pass completions in a Villanova 300-yard passing game had been 17 in a 378-yard passing performance by Daniel Smith against Delaware on November 23, 2019. In that contest Smith averaged 22.2 yards per completion; Watkins' average on Saturday night was 38.8 yards per completion. He had a 369.5 quarterback rating for the game. 
  • Watkins' average of 38.8 yards per completion would have set an FCS record if the eight completions were enough to qualify for the NCAA minimum of 15 completions in a contest. The official record in an FCS game is 28.5 yards per completion (17 completions for 485 yards) by Kendrick Nord of Grambling against Alcorn on September 3, 1994.
 
100-YARD RECEIVERS
 
  • The last time the Wildcats had two players with over 100 receiving yards in the same game was on September 15, 2018 against Towson when Jarrett McClenton had 114 yards and Ryan Bell had 103 yards. Villanova's last 300-yard passing performance had been recorded by Daniel Smith with 350 yards against Richmond on September 18, 2021. In tonight's game Pringle recorded his seventh career 100-yard game and Sanchez his first.
 
GROUND GAME
 
  • Jackson led the Wildcats with 57 rushing yards on 12 carries and Barlee had six rushes for 54 yards. Villanova totaled 152 rushing yards on the night and has scored seven rushing touchdowns through its first two games this season. Jackson (10.1) and Barlee (9.2) are each averaging better than nine yards per carry through two games played. They have combined for 37 rushes, 356 yard and five touchdowns on the year.
RACING OUT OF THE GATES
 
  • For the second straight game to begin the season the Wildcats scored two touchdowns in the first quarter. Jackson opened the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown run at the 8:39 mark of the first period – just before a long delay due to lightning – and Watkins scored on a one-yard touchdown run at the 1:09 mark of the period. Two more scoring drives in the second quarter forged a 28-10 halftime lead. Villanova has outscored its first two opponents – Lehigh and Colgate – by a combined margin of 59-13 in the first half.
 
WEATHERING THE STORMS
 
  • Two weather delays due to lightning in the area totaled 1 hour, 59 minutes on the night. The game started at 6:41 p.m. following a 41-minute pregame delay and was set back for another 1 hour, 18 minutes during the first quarter after just 13 minutes of game time. Play resumed at 8:12 p.m. and continued uninterrupted despite rain that fell throughout some of the game.
 
THIS AND THAT
 
  • Villanova has won eight consecutive night games dating back to the 2018 season and is 11-3 at night during the Mark Ferrante head coaching era … This is the third straight season in which the Wildcats have topped 40 points in their home opener … Sophomore tight end Antonio Johnson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) caught his first career touchdown pass on a one-yard reception at the 12:41 mark of the third quarter.
 
NEXT UP
 
  • Villanova heads back on the road next week for a game at UCF on September 16. Kickoff in Orlando, Fla. is at 6:30 p.m. and will mark the Wildcats final regular season night game.
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