Villanova falls to Illinois State, gets eliminated in semifinals of FCS playoffs

No. 12 Villanova was out-played at home on Saturday night by unseeded Illinois State, resulting in a 30-14 loss in the FCS semifinals.

Villanova’s loss ended its 23-game home win streak, which was the longest active streak in college football. The Wildcats found the end zone once in the game’s final minutes and managed to knock in two field goals while in the red zone. Illinois State totaled 426 yards of total offense, in comparison to Villanova’s 300.

Illinois State (12-4) won the first down battle, 30-14. It tied a season-low for Villanova (12-3) on first downs in FCS play. The Wildcats’ semifinal appearance marked their first since 2009, when Villanova won its first and only FCS championship.

For Illinois State, Saturday’s 16-point margin win marked the largest semifinal victory by a road team in the last 30 seasons. The Redbirds are also the first team in FCS history to win four consecutive road wins in the postseason. They will face Montana State in the championship on Jan. 5 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.

While Villanova’s passing attack guided the offense through its three playoff wins, the Wildcats were held to just 68 yards in the first half.

Graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide threw for 199 yards on 13-for-30 pass attempts. On the opening drive, he threw an interception in the end zone while attempting to extend a play. Illinois State scored off the turnover.

It wasn’t till the end of the fourth quarter when McQuaide connected with his primary target, graduate receiver Luke Colella, one time for six yards.

“Pat looked like he was a little off today with some of the throws,” Ferrante said. “[Illinois State] blitzed more than, I don’t want to say more than we anticipated, because we kind of had a feeling that they we’re going to. They play fundamentally sound football.”

After giving up nine penalties against Tarleton State last weekend, Villanova was called for six on Saturday and gave Illinois State a crucial 46 yards.

Three of Villanova’s penalties came from the same Illinois State scoring drive in the second quarter. Villanova got a stop on 3rd and 11, but an offsides call gave Illinois State five yards and a first down to keep the drive alive.

Then a Villanova pass interference and facemask added on, giving Illinois State 35 yards on the drive. The Redbirds capitalized on the free yardage with a 2–yard rushing touchdown by Victor Dawson. The scoring drive stretched Illinois State’s lead to 21-6.

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In the second half, Villanova picked up its second pass interference penalty, but held Illinois State to a field goal.

“We gave them a little extra yardage on some penalties, which keeps those drives alive,” Ferrante said. “I say pretty much each and every week, we can’t shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties. We had too many of those that either slow drives down for us on the false start or extended drives for them, on the roughing the kicker, and those types of things.”

Both teams had opposite outcomes on third downs.

Villanova completed a season-low one of 10 third downs. It was the lowest since the Albany game on Oct. 25, when Villanova converted two of 12 third downs.

The inability to convert third downs forced Villanova to punt and settle for two field goals.

For Illinois State, it converted 11 of 20 third downs. Some were converted with the help of Villanova’s defensive penalties.

“I think it was a combination of multiple things,” said senior linebacker Shane Hartzell. “One, I think we weren’t able to get enough pressure on the quarterback, and then that made the [defensive backs] have to stay in coverage longer.”

With its season over, Villanova will prepare to move from the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) to the Patriot League next season.