Villanova needs to clean things up against conference newcomer North Carolina A&T
The Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 CAA), who turned the ball over five times last weekend against Albany, are big favorites against the Aggies (1-3, 0-1).
Villanova heads into Week 6 looking to rebound from a disappointing 31-10 loss at Albany. Last week’s defeat saw the Wildcats drop out of both the FCS Coaches and Stats Perform polls.
“I don’t care who you’re playing when you’re looking at the stats that matter,” Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said at his weekly news conference. “When you have five turnovers and give up seven sacks, that’s going to be a really challenging game to overcome any of that stuff.”
On the other side is North Carolina A&T, which is fresh off its first win, a 28-26 victory over Norfolk State.
Saturday in Greensboro (4 p.m., FloSports) will mark the first-ever game between the Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 CAA) and the new Coastal Athletic Conference member Aggies (1-3, 0-1).
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Scouting The Aggies
The Aggies’ offense has struggled, averaging 13.3 points and just 56.8 passing yards, both CAA lows.
However, the Aggies have found some success in the running game. NC A&T averages 164.8 yards on the ground led by redshirt sophomore Kenji Christian. The Virginia Tech transfer racked up 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week against Norfolk State.
On defense, graduate linebacker BJ Turner leads the team and ranks third in the conference in tackles with 54.
Keys to Victory
With the Aggies struggling in the passing game, if Villanova can stop the rushing attack and force quarterback Kevin White to put the ball in the air, the Wildcats should be in good shape.
“Their quarterback is a true freshman,” Ferrante said. “It looks like he added a spark for them that they needed … he gives some really good things to watch from the film this past week against Norfolk.”
Villanova has struggled to defend the pass, allowing 241 yards per game (12th in the CAA), including 349 yards against FBS foe Central Florida. But with passing being the weakest part of the Aggies’ offense, the Wildcats should be able to improve those numbers.
As for the Wildcats on offense, they have struck a good balance, averaging 190.4 passing yards (eighth in CAA) and 175.6 rushing yards (third). It bodes well for the Wildcats, as the Aggies are giving up a conference-worst 218.8 yards per game on the ground. Another key for the Wildcats will be protecting the football, as last week they turned the ball over five times, including three by quarterback Connor Watkins.
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They Said It
“[NC A&T’s] run game looks pretty solid,” Ferrante said. “They do a really good job. They’re big upfront, they open some holes. Those guys break tackles, and the quarterback [White] is dynamic. He looks really fast when you see him take off on some of those long runs.
“We’re gonna have our hands full; it’s gonna be another competitive CAA game.”
Looking Down The Line
The Wildcats next take on Elon (3-2, 3-0 CAA) on Oct. 14 (1 p.m., FloSports). The Phoenix currently sit atop the CAA, with conference wins against NC A&T, Campbell, and William and Mary. Elon defeated NC A&T 27-3 in Week 2. Villanova is 2-1 all time against Elon.