Standing in front of his team at the end of practice on Thursday, Villanova coach Mark Ferrante reminded his players of the extra significance of this Saturday’s home matchup.
Not only is Stony Brook the last Coastal Athletic Association opponent on the schedule, but Saturday’s game (1 p.m., FloSports) will be Villanova’s last regular-season contest as a member of the conference.
“Ever since 1988, we’ve been in this league playing under the flag of the CAA, and this is our last season with it,” Ferrante said. “I told the guys, ‘Let’s make sure we end that era the appropriate way and go out and play well.’”
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The Wildcats, then led by coach Andy Talley, joined the FCS in 1985 after the program was reinstated. At the time, Villanova was part of the Yankee Conference, which evolved into what now is the CAA.
In June, Villanova announced its plans to leave the CAA, staying in the FCS but joining the Patriot League. It will move conferences for the 2026 season alongside CAA rival William & Mary. In its announcement, Villanova said the Patriot League’s members align more closely with the school academically and geographically.
Moving up
The Wildcats are one of the toughest teams in the CAA at No. 2 in the standings and looking to extend a six-game winning streak.
Villanova (7-2, 6-1 CAA) also has risen in national rankings throughout the season. The Wildcats broke into the FCS’s top 10 last week and now are No. 7 in the country, according to the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
While a win over Stony Brook is crucial to maintain its standing in the conference, Villanova’s 20-game home winning streak also is on the line. The Wildcats have not lost a game at Villanova Stadium since falling to Monmouth on Sept. 24, 2022.
“The energy is high, and we’re excited to be playing back at home,” Ferrante said. “It’s another CAA opponent, so you know they’re going to play hard, you know they’re going to be fast, and you know they’re going to be physical.”
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Running back battle
One of Villanova’s most consistent strengths has been its ground attack. The Wildcats boast the second-best rushing offense in the CAA, averaging 174.1 yards per game. Three sophomore running backs make up the main rotation: David Avit, Isaiah Ragland, and Ja’briel Mace.
Circumstances changed last week against Towson, when Mace took over for Avit and Ragland, who both missed the second half with injuries. Despite lacking their usual offensive depth, the Wildcats delivered, and Mace made program history with 28 carries, 291 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns.
Stony Brook (5-5, 3-3 CAA) also prides itself on its run game, behind graduate running back Roland Dempster. Dempster averages 97.2 rushing yards per game, the second-most in the conference, and also is a solid receiver with 27.3 receiving yards per game.
The Seawolves have also been on an upward trajectory thanks to redshirt freshman quarterback Quinn Boyd, who took over the starting job midseason. He is coming off a CAA Rookie of the Week performance after competing 37 of 48 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns at North Carolina A&T last week.
Ferrante is confident in his defense, which has grown throughout the season, to handle Dempster and the Stony Brook attack.
“You cannot simulate game experience, so the more games you get under your belt, the better you get, whether it’s the veteran offensive line coming back or the youth in the secondary,” Ferrante said. “Defensively, we’ve started playing better team football now that the young guys have gotten the experience that they didn’t have earlier in the season.”
