Wildcats fall to Maine, 35-7

ORONO, Maine—In its return from a bye last weekend, No. 5 Villanova (5-2, 2-1 CAA Football) fell behind early and saw a three-game winning streak snapped with a 35-7 loss to Maine (4-1 ) ended. 3, 2-2 CAA) at Alfond Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The final result marked just the Wildcats' seventh loss in their last 25 games following a bye week.

Three Black Bears touchdowns in the first quarter led to Villanova's early deficit. Maine completed a 55-yard pass on its first possession of the game and successfully scored a two-point conversion for an early lead that it never relinquished. The score was 28-0 at halftime, marking the first time since a 34-0 loss to New Hampshire on Oct. 27, 2018 that the Wildcats failed to score in the first half against an FCS opponent.

Villanova scored its only points of the game 1:50 as a junior backup quarterback Tanner Maddocks (Reading, Pa.) scored on a seven-yard run. It was the second touchdown of the season and Maddocks' career, and it came after a possession in which he led the Wildcats down the field on a 12-play, 81-yard drive over 5:11. Maddocks was 4 of 9 for 62 yards and ran four times for nine yards, including his scoring run, in the fourth quarter.

Fifth-year wide receiver Lucas Kopecky (Rocky Hill, NJ) He caught a season-high four passes for 43 yards and led the offense. Kopecky played lacrosse for Villanova for four seasons before making his college football debut this season. In the last two games against Stony Brook and Maine, Kopecky had five receptions for 69 yards and his first career touchdown against the Seawolves two weeks ago. Junior receiver Jaylan Sanchez (North Bergen, NJ) had three catches for 36 yards and three others had two receptions.

Villanova was led defensively by its fifth-year starting safety Ethan Potter (Chesapeake City, Maryland) who recorded his second game of the season and fourth of his career with double-digit tackles. Potter had six solo tackles among his 10 total stops as a senior linebacker Jordan Nelson (Palmerton, Pennsylvania) added seven tackles and his first career fumble recovery. Security in the fifth year Isa Waxter (Newark, NJ) forced a fumble for the second straight game and finished the afternoon with five stops.

Starting quarterback Connor Watkins (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) finished the day 14 of 31 through the air for 117 yards, with Kopecky being one of 10 different Wildcats receivers on the season to catch a pass. In the second quarter, Watkins' streak of 151 consecutive passes without an interception ended. He was not substituted in the first six games of this season. True freshman running back David Avit (Potomac, Maryland) rushed for a team-high 39 yards.

This weekend's trip to Maine completes Villanova's longest stretch of the season between home games. Since playing LIU at home during Family Weekend on Campus on Sept. 28, the Wildcats have played two road games against Stony Brook and the Black Bears in three weeks on either side of the bye week.

There will be a return to the friendly confines of Villanova Stadium next week when the Wildcats host New Hampshire on Homecoming weekend. Kick-off is scheduled for next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.