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Robertson hurt as Villanova comes from behind to beat Delaware

There have been some questions about when the Villanova offense would begin to click. And after a come-from-behind, 28-21 victory in the Wildcats' home-opener Saturday against Delaware, there are now even bigger questions.

Villanova quarterback John Robertson.
Villanova quarterback John Robertson.Read more(Jessica Hill/AP file photo)

There have been some questions about when the Villanova offense would begin to click. And after a come-from-behind, 28-21 victory in the Wildcats' home-opener Saturday against Delaware, there are now even bigger questions.

Quarterback John Robertson suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter and, according to coach Andy Talley, will not play Thursday in the Wildcats' home game against Penn.

"Right now the situation is that we think it's a [posterior cruciate ligament]," Talley said of the late-game injury, which forced Robertson from the game. "We don't think it's an [anterior cruciate ligament]. We're going to have an MRI on Monday. So we'll see more and know more after we get the MRI."

With Robertson - the winner of last season's Walter Payton Award, given to the best player in the Football Championship Subdivision - out for at least the next game, the No. 6 Wildcats (2-1, 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association) will turn to redshirt freshman Zack Bednarczyk, as they did Saturday with great results.

Bednarczyk's second pass of the game came on fourth and goal and resulted in a 6-yard touchdown to receiver Kevin Gulyas that pulled the Wildcats to within one point of Delaware (1-2, 0-1 CAA) at 21-20. However, kicker Steve Weyler (Cardinal O'Hara) missed the extra point, and the Wildcats were still in danger of losing to the Blue Hens.

After the Wildcats forced a Blue Hens punt, Bednarczyk executed a winning drive that belied the fact that he'd thrown only three career passes before Saturday.

The Wildcats took possession with 4 minutes, 47 seconds remaining and drove 74 yards, with Bednarczyk's 21-yard touchdown scamper with 2:35 remaining proving to be the difference-maker. To set up his game-winning run, Bednarczyk completed passes of 34 and 21 yards.

Nerves were never a problem, Bednarczyk said.

"I wasn't thinking anything. I just grabbed my helmet and ran on the field," Bednarczyk said when asked about being inserted late. "My teammates were saying, 'We've got you, we've got you.' I get reps with them every day, so it's not like we're strangers. I know what we can do."

"I can't say enough about Zack Bednarczyk," Talley said. "To come in cold like that and do what he did is probably as good a quarterbacking job as we've had here in my years."

jmitchell@philly.com

@JmitchInquirer