Printable Page
12/06 14:40 CST Villanova upsets third-ranked Lehigh 14-7 advancing to FCS
quarterfinal playoff round
Villanova upsets third-ranked Lehigh 14-7 advancing to FCS quarterfinal playoff
round
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) --- Pat McQuaide threw for 208 yards and a touchdown and
Villanova upset third-ranked Lehigh 14-7 on Saturday to advance to the
quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs.
Villanova (11-2), which entered the playoffs as a 12 seed, will face the winner
of North Dakota and Tarleton State. The Wildcats will make their third
appearance in the quarterfinals in the last five seasons. It was Villanova's
first playoff road win since 2010.
Beginning next season the two programs will become annual rivals as Villanova
will join Lehigh in the Patriot League.
McQuaide's 28-yard scoring pass to Braden Reed with 3:02 left gave Villanova
its first lead of the game.
On Lehigh's (12-1) final drive, the Mountain Hawks drove 54 yards, and on
first-and-10 at the Villanova 14, Wildcats defensive lineman Obinna Nwobodo
stripped Hayden Johnson on a quarterback keep and Villanova linebacker Shane
Hartzell recovered.
Villanova ran seven plays, including a key 12-yard completion from McQuaide to
Antonio Johnson on third-and-8 at their own 13, and the Wildcats allowed time
to expire.
After a scoreless first half, Lehigh took the second half kickoff and drove 75
yards in five plays and ended the drive when Aaron Crossley ran it in from the
5. Johnson completed a 36-yard pass to Matt D'Avino and Luke Yoder had a
31-yard run on consecutive plays to help set up the score.
Villanova knotted it at 7 later in the third when after a Yoder fumble, the
Wildcats put together a six-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in Ja'briel Mace
crashing in from the 1 with 2:29 left in the third.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up
here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football:
https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and
https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
|
