The biggest takeaway from Villanova’s game against No. 2 Penn State? Growing its own fan experience.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Beaver Stadium welcomed 109,516 fans last Saturday for No. 2 Penn State’s matchup against Villanova, the largest audience in Wildcats history.

“When you play a team where you’re pretty much overmatched, outmatched, in every position, you have to come and play near perfect, and we did not do that,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said after the 56-2 loss. “So just like every other game, regardless of the score, we’ll try to pick up on the positive plays. … That level of an opponent will have a cumulative effect on us down the road.”

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Despite the lopsided loss, Villanova learned a lot about itself — and got a SportsCenter top-10 play out of it on its lone touchdown, an 8-yard pass from Tanner Maddocks to Brandon Blinkowski as time expired in the fourth quarter. While the Wildcats remain committed to competing in the FCS, the trip to Penn State coincided with ongoing efforts by the athletic department to expand the program.

Villanova athletic director Eric Roedl wanted to use the trip to State College as a test for the Villanova fan base’s appetite for football. He was buoyed by an enthusiastic response from alumni and fans who traveled to the game.

“It’s a great platform for the university to compete at the highest level of college football,” Roedl said. “[Villanova] sold over 1,000 seats for this game. To do this once a year against an FBS opponent is an opportunity for our guys to step outside of FCS and challenge themselves.”

Villanova is ranked 11th in the FCS under Ferrante, who is in his ninth season. The Wildcats won a national championship in 2009 and have reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.

In addition to a big test against the team ranked second in the AP Top 25, a big factor in the trip to Happy Valley was to generate revenue.

“I talked to our administration, and the FCS teams play the FBS games like this because it helps us financially,” Ferrante said. “It helps us stay in good places. It helps us take charter flights. It helps us with our budget and things of that nature to give our guys a great experience at our level.”

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Roedl, who started at Villanova in January, has said that expanding the football program is one of his top priorities.

Much of Roedl’s vision for football stems from his role as Oregon’s deputy athletic director, where he oversaw its powerhouse football program. His current efforts focus on enhancing the marketing and promotion of football games, including tailgates, in-game experiences, and community events.

“Certainly, there are a lot of differences between the highest level of college football and the FCS in terms of the investments that we make,” Roedl said. “But what we all want is for Villanovans to see what college football Saturdays can look like. We’re going to strive to continue creating a great energy and atmosphere for our home games in a way that makes sense for Villanova, on our own scale.”

The Wildcats are already making moves in the FCS. They announced their switch to the Patriot League in 2026 after 19 seasons in the Coastal Athletic Association. The new conference has geographic and competitive advantages, as Villanova will play similar schools in the northeast.

For now, Villanova is preparing to start its final season of CAA play on the right foot when it travels to take on Monmouth on Saturday (1 p.m., FloSports).

“It’s been a great opportunity for the whole Villanova community to come [to Penn State],” Roedl said. “Bringing the Villanova base to State College also continues to show us what a fun game day atmosphere looks like and the types of things that we can strive for at Villanova.”

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