VILLANOVA, Pa.—Junior running back Isaiah Ragland (Alexandria, Va.) had a career day to set the tone for a dominant performance by No. 9/6 Villanova (10-2, #12 national seed) in a 52-7 victory over Harvard (9-2) in the first round of the FCS playoffs at Villanova Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Ragland scored on a 45-yard touchdown run on the first offensive series of the game and from there it was off to the races as the Wildcats embarked on their third consecutive playoff appearance. With the win, Villanova advances to a second round game at #5 national seed Lehigh (12-0) next Saturday at 12 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa.
 
The final score represents the most lopsided margin of victory in a Wildcats postseason game and is the third time in 31 FCS playoff games that Villanova has topped 50 points. Ragland rushed for a career-high 152 yards and the Wildcats had 319 yards on the ground en route to a season high 513 yards of total offense. Ragland and graduate wide receiver Lucas Kopecky (Rocky Hill, N.J.) scored touchdowns in the first quarter and Villanova pushed the margin to 31-0 by halftime. All eight players who recorded a carry finished with positive yardage, while graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide (Solon, Ohio) connected with eight different receivers.
 
McQuade was 14-of-22 through the air for 193 yards and three touchdowns in addition to rushing three times for 28 yards and a score. He scored his third rushing touchdown of the season and just his second since the season opener. Kopecky, graduate wide receiver Luke Colella (Wexford, Pa.) and senior tight end Antonio Johnson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) all caught touchdown passes.
 
The platitudes are nice, but the bottom line is even sweeter for the Wildcats, who have now matched their longest winning streak since the 2009 national championship season. Villanova has won nine games in a row and wrapped up their second straight undefeated month with a combined 8-0 record in the months of October and November. This is the 11^th time in the Wildcats last 13 playoff appearances that they have won at least one game, and the win extended the longest active FCS home winning streak in the country to 23 straight games.
 
Villanova received the game's opening kickoff and went 75 yards on seven plays to open the scoring at the 11:45 mark of the first quarter. Later in the period, sophomore cornerback Newton Essiem (Frederick, Md.) recorded his first career interception when he picked off Crimson quarterback Jaden Craig in the end zone. The Wildcats countered with a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by Kopecky making a leaping grab for a 30-yard touchdown reception with 3:26 to play in the opening period. The points off turnovers were a rarity for a Harvard team which entered the game with an 88-17 scoring margin in that category for the season. Villanova scored two touchdowns after Crimson turnovers and pushed its own season margin in points off turnovers to  51-10. The Wildcats have the fewest turnovers (five) of any FCS team this season.
 
In the second quarter, graduate kicker Jack Barnum (Southington, Conn.) made a 29-yard field goal ahead of rushing touchdowns by McQuaide and junior running back Ja'briel Mace (Somers Point, N.J.). Villanova had possession of the ball for more than 22 minutes in the first half and amassed an advantage of 336-31 in yards of total offense in the first 30 minutes. Mace rushed 18 times for 88 yards, putting him just 29 yards shy of 1,000 career rushing yards. He also had a 26-yard reception in the game.
 
Making their FCS playoff debut, the Crimson opened the second half with a 10-play, 68-yard drive for their only points of the game. Craig connected with running back Jordan Harris for a six-yard touchdown pass at the 10:24 mark of the third quarter. As was the case in the first half, the Wildcats had an immediate answer. Colella caught a 29-yard touchdown pass just over two minutes later and Villanova put the finishing touches on the romp with touchdowns by Johnson and senior running back Julian Glantz (Scarsdale, N.Y.) in the fourth quarter.
 
Harvard entered the game averaging better than 39 points per contest and more than 461 yards of total offense per game for the season. They were limited to just the seven points and 213 total yards by the Wildcats defense. Senior linebacker Shane Hartzell (Perkasie, Pa.) and graduate linebacker Richie Kimmel (Holmes, Pa.) each had seven tackles. Villanova forced two turnovers, including Essiem's interception and a fumble recovery by senior defensive back Nino Betances (Brooklyn, N.Y.) which was forced by sophomore linebacker Christian Caballero (Niceville, Fla.).
 
Craig, a finalist for this year's Walter Payton Award, was held to 9-of-21 passing for 107 yards. Harvard had 106 rushing yards and was led by D.J. Gordon with 59 yards on 10 carries.
 
Saturday's first round playoff matchup was the first-ever meeting between Villanova and Harvard on the gridiron. The same won't be true of the Wildcats second round opponent, as they will face Lehigh for the 20^th time. Kickoff at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem is set for 12 p.m. next Saturday (December 6).