EASTON, Pa.—Sixth year quarterback
Pat McQuaide (Solon, Ohio) threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns and Villanova (5-4, 4-2 Patriot League) forced a season-high four turnovers in a 44-21 victory over Lafayette (3-5, 2-3 Patriot League) at Fisher Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A high-powered Wildcats offense set the tone with 31 points by halftime, and an opportunistic defense sealed the outcome in the second half. Villanova tied a program record with its ninth consecutive road win over an FCS opponent dating back to last season.
The running back duo of
Ja'briel Mace (Somers Point, N.J.) and
Isaiah Ragland (Alexandria, Va.) each scored touchdowns for the fifth consecutive game. Mace rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown while Ragland had 39 yards and a score with 11 carries and three receptions. The combination of their recent play and McQuide's passing has helped the Wildcats average 35.3 points per game over their last four outings. All five of the team's touchdowns on the day came from a different player, including Villanova's first defensive score of the season on a 27-yard pick-six by junior linebacker
Omari Bursey (Broomfield, Colo.) late in the first quarter.
Sophomore wide receiver
Brandon Binkowski (Haymarket, Va.) and junior
Chris Colby (Rowley, Mass.) each had touchdown receptions. Binkowski hauled in a 49-yard score in the first quarter and tallied his second career 100-yard game with four catches for 103 yards. Colby closed the first half with consecutive catches for 43 total yards, the last an 18-yard touchdown with 29 seconds to play in the half as the Wildcats drove 57 yards on five plays in just 36 seconds.
The rest of the offense came from junior kicker
Dominic LeBlanc (Dawsonville, Ga.) who made three field goals and had a season-high 14 points. He connected on attempts from 30 yards, 40 yards and 27 yards to take over the Patriot League with 10 field goals this season. LeBlanc has made 10-of-12 attempts and has connected on all 29 of his PATs in his first year on the Main Line. His 40-yard field goal midway through the third quarter was his second from 40+ yards this season and the sixth of his career.
Villanova evened its turnover margin for the season with three interceptions, including the return for a score by Bursey, and a fumble recovery by junior defensive end
AJ Koukou (Havertown, Pa.) which was forced by sophomore
Nate Sullivan (Bethesda, Md.). Bursey added a team-high nine tackles, including the Wildcats only sack of the day to force a turnover on downs early in the fourth quarter.
McQuaide's first quarter touchdown pass to Binkowski gave him exactly 5,000 yards passing on the dot in his Villanova career. He is the 10
th quarterback in school history to reach that distinction, and he finished the game with 5,187 yards in 24 games for the Wildcats. His collegiate career totals through the air are now 790-of-1,328 for 9,601 yards and 63 touchdowns.
The scores from around the Patriot League on Saturday leave Villanova in a four-way tie for second place in the conference standings with three weeks left in the regular season. The four tied teams – the Wildcats, Richmond, Colgate and Holy Cross – are one game behind Lehigh (5-1) who Villanova tallied a Homecoming Weekend win over last week.
The Wildcats return home to play Richmond next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
