Here are three things to keep an eye on Saturday when No. 5 Villanova takes on CAA opponent Maine

In the middle of the regular season, Villanova, ranked No. 5 nationally in the FCS, found a needed boost of confidence before last weekend's bye.

In a 42-24 win over Stony Brook two weeks ago, the Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 Coastal Athletic Association) had their strongest offensive performance in their last game, fueled primarily by freshman running back David Avit (four touchdowns). .

Now Villanova scores the road to the game against Maine (3-3, 1-2 CAA) on Saturday (1 p.m., FloFootball). The goal? Maintain his undefeated conference record. The Wildcats are currently tied with Rhode Island for second place in the CAA, while Maine is tied for 11th.

The Wildcats had plenty of extra time to prepare for the Black Bears as the bye week coincided with Villanova's week-long fall break.

Watkins is improving

Avit and redshirt freshman Isaiah Ragland are the sources of Villanova's menacing running game.

Avit took over since Ragland was sidelined with injury against Stony Brook. His four touchdowns and 183 rushing yards on 13 carries earned him national attention as the FCS Freshman of the Week. With 458 yards on 61 carries, Avit has passed Ragland as Villanova's rushing leader.

Meanwhile, working with an almost entirely new group of wide receivers continues to be a challenge for graduate quarterback Connor Watkins. Watkins is averaging 139.8 passing yards and 43.2 rushing yards per game.

“The timing is still a work in progress offensively,” Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said.

Junior Jaylan Sanchez is the lone returnee among Villanova's starting wide receivers. Graduate transfer Devin Smith leads the team in receiving with 242 yards and three touchdowns. Sanchez is second with 196 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Against Stony Brook, Watkins successfully utilized more of his passing options alongside the reliable duo of Sanchez and Smith. Graduate Lucas Kopecky — who made the roster after four years as a lacrosse player for Villanova — scored his first career touchdown on a 26-yard pass, his only reception of the game.

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Minimize errors

Winning the turnover battle was crucial for Villanova, which scored 13.4 points per game against FCS teams and forced 10 turnovers.

Watkins did not commit a turnover.

Ferrante noted that redshirt junior linebacker Shane Hartzell is currently the youngest defensive player in the starting lineup. Hartzell was one of three linebackers to have double-digit tackles against Stony Brook, along with graduate Brendan Bell and senior Richie Kimmel.

“We hope to play a mistake-free game as we continue to work on timing on offense and stopping the run on defense,” Ferrante said.

Meeting with Maine

Villanova last traveled to Maine on October 1, 2022 and returned to the Main Line with a 45-20 win.

Maine suffered a 44-21 loss last week to Delaware (6-0, 3-0 CAA), which is ranked first in the conference and will become an FBS program in 2025. The Black Bears are led by graduate quarterback Carter Peevy , a transfer from Mercer, who is averaging 189.8 passing yards and 11.3 rushing yards per game.

After Saturday's game, the Wildcats will close out October by welcoming CAA foe New Hampshire to Villanova Stadium on Oct. 26 (3:30 p.m., FloFootball).

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