ORONO, Maine—In its return from a bye last weekend, No. 5 Villanova (5-2, 2-1 CAA Football) fell behind early and saw a three-game winning streak come to an end in a 35-7 loss to Maine (4-3, 2-2 CAA) at Alfond Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The final score marked only the seventh loss for the Wildcats in their last 25 games coming off a bye week.
 
Three touchdowns by the Black Bears in the first quarter created Villanova's early deficit. Maine scored on a 55-yard pass play on its first possession of the game and successfully executed a two-point conversion for an early lead which it did not relinquish. The score was 28-0 at halftime and marked the first time since a 34-0 loss to New Hampshire on October 27, 2018 that the Wildcats did not score in the first half against an FCS opponent.
 
Villanova scored its only points of the game 1:50 to play when junior backup quarterback Tanner Maddocks (Reading, Pa.) scored on a seven-yard run. It was the second touchdown of the season and of Maddocks' career, and came on a possession where he led the Wildcats down the field on a 12-play, 81-yard drive spanning 5:11. Maddocks was 4-of-9 for 62 yards and rushed four times for nine yards in the fourth quarter, including his scoring run.
 
Fifth year wide receiver Lucas Kopecky (Rocky Hill, N.J.) caught a season-high four passes for 43 yards to lead the offense. Kopecky played four seasons of lacrosse for Villanova before making his college football debut this season. In the past two games against Stony Brook and Maine, Kopecky has tallied five receptions for 69 yards and his first career touchdown versus the Seawolves two weeks ago. Junior receiver Jaylan Sanchez (North Bergen, N.J.) had three catches for 36 yards and three others had two receptions.
 
Villanova was led defensively by fifth year starting safety Ethan Potter (Chesapeake City, Md.) who tallied his second game this season and fourth of his career with double digit tackles. Potter had six solo tackles among his 10 total stops, while senior linebacker Jordan Nelson (Palmerton, Pa.) added a career-high seven tackles and his first career fumble recovery. Fifth year safety Isas Waxter (Newark, N.J.) forced a fumble for the second straight game and finished the afternoon with five stops.
 
Starting quarterback Connor Watkins (Williamsport, Pa.) finished the day 14-of-31 through the air for 117 yards, with Kopecky one of a season high 10 different Wildcats receivers to catch a pass. Watkins saw a streak of 151 consecutive passes without an interception come to an end in the second quarter. He had not been picked off during the first six games played this season. True freshman running back David Avit (Potomac, Md.) rushed for a team-high 39 yards.
 
This weekend's trip to Maine wraps up Villanova's longest stretch of the season in between home games. Since playing LIU at home on September 28 during Family Weekend on campus, the Wildcats have played two road games in three weeks against Stony Brook and the Black Bears on either side of the bye week.
 
Next week will bring a return to the friendly confines of Villanova Stadium as the Wildcats host New Hampshire on Homecoming Weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. next Saturday.