Villanova advances with win over Holy Cross

Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph and the Crusaders' pass-happy offense were nearly unstoppable yesterday.

However, Villanova's offense displayed even more firepower as the Wildcats rolled to a 38-28 victory in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in front of 4,319 at Villanova Stadium.

Randolph passed for 347 yards and three touchdowns, but Villanova answered with 537 yards in total offense.

"First of all, our offense played unbelievable," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "I thought we had a great day. And we needed to be on top of our game, because Holy Cross played beautifully on offense."

Second-seeded Villanova (11-1) advanced to play New Hampshire at home in Saturday's Division I-AA quarterfinal. New Hampshire, a 49-13 winner over McNeese State, is the only team to defeat the Wildcats this season. On Oct. 10, New Hampshire won, 28-14, in Durham, N.H.

Just as it hasn't forgotten that setback, Villanova may not soon forget yesterday's game.

"It was one of those games where . . . if we score, then they score and you score, and then they score and you have to score to stay with them," Talley said.

"I told my staff that we needed to be 21 points ahead of these guys."

Even though the Wildcats never got their three-touchdown cushion, they did enough damage. And, as usual, Villanova junior wideout Matt Szczur did the most damage.

Szczur rushed for a touchdown, had a career-high 130 receiving yards, and accounted for 238 all-purpose yards. But he wasn't Villanova's only weapon.

The Wildcats had 298 rushing yards and four ballcarriers scored. Against Holy Cross (9-3), all of those scores were needed.

With Randolph throwing, the Crusaders were more than capable of ending the Wildcats' season. The NFL prospect completed 31 of 51 passes for 347 yards and three TDs. The fifth-year senior also scored on a 2-yard keeper.

"We know we have to step it up and perform much better next week," said Villanova safety John Dempsey, who called yesterday's game a "humbling experience."

Dempsey said Randolph was "as good as advertised. He was a terrific player."

Randolph's last touchdown pass - a 5-yarder to tight end Alex Schneider - pulled Holy Cross to within seven points, 35-28, with 13 minutes, 37 seconds remaining.

However, that was as close as the Crusaders would get.

On the ensuing possession, Villanova kicker Nick Yako was good on a 25-yard field goal. Then the Wildcats' defense responded with a big fourth-down stop before their offense ran out the final 5:43.

The offensive duel began with each team scoring on its first two possessions.

The Wildcats found the end zone again on their third possession when quarterback Chris Whitney (301 total yards, plus one rushing touchdown and one passing TD) scored from 1 yard out.

Stepping up defensively, Villanova forced Holy Cross to punt on its next two possessions, and the second of those punts by Don Lemieux went just 18 yards to the Wildcats' 31-yard line.

That led to a 2-yard touchdown by Villanova running back Angelo Babbaro (75 yards, 10 carries) that gave Villanova a 14-point cushion 57 seconds before intermission.