Coming off a bye week, Villanova couldn’t have a better first day back to the gridiron

Head coach Mark Ferrante spent last week like many Philadelphians: reflecting, traveling, and watching the Phillies.

Of course, his reflection was about his team, while he traveled for recruiting. But with Villanova on its bye week, he had time to do some things he wouldn’t usually be able to do.

The No. 19 Wildcats (5-2, 3-1 CAA) went into the bye with momentum after beating Elon, 21-0. They return to the gridiron Saturday (2 p.m., FloSports) at Villanova Stadium against a Stony Brook team still looking for its first win.

To say the Seawolves’ season has been difficult would be an understatement. Stony Brook (0-7, 0-5 CAA) entered the year with low expectations but has lost each matchup by an average of three touchdowns. It owns the CAA’s second-worst scoring offense (14.6 points per game) and worst-scoring defense (35.7 points per game).

“You’ve heard other coaches mention it: when you’re playing a CAA game, throw the records out the window,” Ferrante said. “You’ve got to be ready to match and go in there with the intensity and the execution and the physicality that you need, week in and week out, regardless of what [they’re] doing.”

Stony Brook’s team is largely inexperienced. Quarterback Casey Case, a graduate transfer from Buffalo, is in his first year running the offense after only appearing in three games in three years with the Bulls. Four players have their first career receiving touchdowns this season, while three have their first career interceptions. Three more players have their first career sacks. Leading receiver Anthony Johnson is third in the CAA with 76.7 yards per game, but he’s only a redshirt freshman.

The leader on defense is graduate linebacker Aidan Kaler. In his second season playing regularly for the Seawolves, Kaler averages 8.7 tackles per game, seventh-best in the CAA.

On paper, the Stony Brook matchup should be an easy win for Villanova. If there is any cause for concern, it’s that Stony Brook’s closest matchup, a 21-20 loss in mid-September, came against Richmond, one of the best teams in the CAA.

Like any week, success for Villanova begins and ends with its run game. The Wildcats average 223 rushing yards, second-best in the CAA. In their two losses, they averaged 77.5 yards. Villanova ran for 440 yards against Elon, and if it can manage even half that total, it should comfortably handle Stony Brook.

Defensively, Johnson is the only real threat. Case has struggled with accuracy, throwing eight interceptions to just nine touchdowns. If Villanova can take away his favorite receiver, Case will likely add to his interception totals.

Graduate running back DeeWil Barlee was sidelined against Elon. A true freshman starred in his absence.

Freshman back Isaiah Ragland had 15 carries against the Phoenix and ran for a team-high 126 yards in just his third collegiate game. Villanova has rotated three running backs for much of the season, relying on Barlee and fellow graduates Jalen Jackson and TD Ayo-Durojaiye. Barlee is expected back against Stony Brook, but Ragland could have played his way into the rotation.

However, Villanova could save Ragland for the future. If he plays less than four games, he could be redshirted, maintaining his eligibility. Ragland has made three appearances so far this season.

After Stony Brook, the Wildcats will travel to New Hampshire to take on the Wildcats (4-3, 2-2 CAA) next Saturday (1 p.m., FloSports). New Hampshire beat Stony Brook, 45-14, last weekend.