Villanova will open the FCS playoffs with a home game against Harvard
Villanova made the playoffs for the third straight season and the fifth time in seven years. The Wildcats are among three CAA teams that made the 24-team FCS field.
Twelfth-seeded Villanova will host Harvard on Saturday at noon in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Villanova (9-2, 7-1 Coastal Athletic Association) made the playoffs for the third straight season and the fifth time in seven years. The Wildcats are among three CAA teams that made the 24-team FCS field.
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“When you see your name up there, it goes up on the board, especially to be the home team, that’s exciting,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said. “So we’re just grateful, thankful, and excited to be playing the first round of the playoffs at our stadium.”
The Wildcats closed out the regular season on an eight-game winning streak and were undefeated at home. Villanova’s home winning streak of 22 games is the longest active streak in Division I football.
Harvard (9-1, 6-1 Ivy) is playing in the postseason for the first time in its 152-year history after the Ivy League Council of Presidents approved a proposal last year allowing its teams to participate. Harvard played Yale on Saturday for the Ivy League’s automatic bid into the playoffs. Yale claimed the automatic bid with a 45-28 win. Harvard was awarded an at-large playoff berth and is not among the 16 seeds.
“Our guys just seem more comfortable at home,” Ferrante said. “Whether it’s the ability to not have to travel or something like that, but our guys just seem to play at a little different level when we’re home. And to get the home-field advantage is a good thing.”
The Villanova-Harvard winner will move on to face No. 5 Lehigh (12-0) on Dec. 6 at noon.
All first- and second-round games of the FCS playoffs will be televised by ESPN+.