See why Saturday's Delaware-Villanova football duel is biggest in more than 25 years
There’s much more at stake Saturday than possession of the Battle of the Blue Trophy and rivalry bragging rights at Delaware Stadium.
For the first time this century, the Coastal Athletic Association football title is also riding on the outcome of Delaware vs. Villanova.
The Blue Hens and Villanova bring identical 8-2 overall and 6-1 CAA records into the 1 p.m. kickoff. They are tied for first place with Albany (8-3, 6-1) and Richmond (7-3, 6-1). Albany hosts Monmouth Saturday and Richmond is at William & Mary.
"When you have the rivalry aspect to it, I always used to say going into the game 'Throw the records out the window,' " Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said Monday. "Each team is gonna show up and they're going to play their tails off regardless of what the records are. So now that we both have the same record, playing for the same stakes, I think that just adds to it."
The automatic NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Tournament berth awarded to the CAA champion may, therefore, need to be decided on a tiebreaker.
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The following scenarios involve Delaware:
If Delaware, Albany and Richmond tie for first at 7‐1
There were no head‐to‐head meetings between these three. The only common opponent among the trio is Stony Brook, which they all beat. The next tiebreaker is point differential in conference games with a 21‐point maximum per game. Going into Saturday, Delaware is at plus-97, Albany at plus-92 and Richmond at plus-58. The next tiebreaker is best combined conference ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
If Delaware and Albany tie for first at 7‐1
The teams didn’t meet head‐to‐head. Both would have wins over Villanova and Towson. But Delaware was 1‐0 vs. New Hampshire, the next highest-placed common foe, and Albany 0‐1, giving Delaware the tiebreaker and automatic bid.
If Delaware and Richmond tie for first at 7‐1
Delaware and Richmond didn’t meet. Richmond was 1‐0 vs. Elon, the next highest-placed common foe, and Delaware was 0‐1, giving Richmond the tiebreaker and automatic bid.
This is the first time since 1997 that the Villanova-Delaware outcome decides first place. That year, a 35-25 Villanova win in a game played Sept. 13 ultimately gave the Wildcats the league title by one game over Delaware.
Before that, a 1989 Villanova win and 1991 and '92 Delaware victories decided who won or shared league titles.
"We're trying to win a CAA championship and we're fighting for things also outside of that trophy that we get for winning this game as well," Delaware coach Ryan Carty said Monday.
Delaware, ranked 7th nationally in the latest national Top 25, has likely already secured a spot in the 24-team FCS bracket. Delaware is trying to make the FCS playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2003-04. The bracket will be announced Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
No. 10-ranked Villanova is also likely already in the field. But only the top eight teams are seeded and enjoy first-round byes when games begin Nov. 25. The Delaware-Villanova winner, along with a victorious Albany, which beat Villanova 31-10 and is ranked 12th, would be in contention for a top-8 spot.
Delaware has lost eight straight to Villanova at Delaware Stadium, the home team last prevailing 41-35 in 2004 when Kyle Campbell intercepted a last-ditch Wildcats hail-Mary pass. Carty was a back-up quarterback for the Blue Hens that afternoon.
"I was a red-shirt sophomore so that puts it in perspective how long ago that was that we won at home versus Villanova," Carty said. "That's kinda ridiculous."
Villanova has also won 15 of the last 17 overall and now commands the series 33-22-1.
Hen scratch
NBC Sports Philadelphia is airing Saturday’s game . . . Caravel grad Ethan Potter is a fourth-year Villanova safety who plays regularly, having started two games this year and is now back after being sidelined with an ankle injury . . . Chuck Priore was fired as Stony Brook coach Monday after 18 seasons that included four FCS playoff berths, the last in 2018, and a 97-101 record. But the Seawolves went 0-10 this year, starting with a season-opening loss to Delaware, and 2-9 last year . . . Blue Hen Touchdown Club MVPs from Saturday’s 45-7 win at Campbell were offensive tackle Fintan Brose, cornerback Khalil Dawsey, who had two interceptions with a 100-yard TD runback on the first, and kicker Nate Reed, who had a 36-yard field goal . . . Running backs coach Andrew Pierce, the former Blue Hen back, will speak at Friday’s noon club luncheon at the Carpenter Center.
Have an idea for a compelling local sports story or is there an issue that needs public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Blue Hens game vs. Villanova Wildcats biggest in 25 years
