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2025 Villanova vs Elon

No. 17 Villanova Completes Comeback Win On The Road Against Elon

No. 17 Villanova Completes Comeback Win On The Road Against Elon

Read the game recap and watch scoring highlights as No. 17 Villanova visited Elon in a battle to the top of the CAA on October 11.

Oct 11, 2025 by Andy Schamma
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No. 17 Villanova football took it to the road once again looking for a win vs. Elon Phoenix on Homecoming Weekend at Rhodes Stadium in North Carolina.

Second in the CAA standings at the time, Elon were having their best start in many years and received six votes in the latest FCS Coaches Poll rankings—a win would have decidedly vaulted them past one of their toughest opponents on the calendar.

Both the Wildcats and Phoenix entered the weekend with two conference wins achieved in a similar fashion over the past two weekends—high-scoring home wins and blowout road wins.

Villanova's offense was led by quarterback Pat McQuaide, but sophomore running back David Avit had been stealing the headlines with his CAA-leading 7 rushing touchdowns and impressive 94 yards per game.

The Wildcats had to overcome Elon's elite talent on both sides of the ball, though. Their secondary was one to keep an eye on heading into the match-up with redshirt junior Ishmel Atkins, a North Carolina-native with 3 interceptions.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Landen Clark started again for Elon, running their balanced offense that boasted 1208 rushing yards and 1248 yards in the air before their battle.

FloCollege is the home of CAA, D2, and D3 football, bringing you the latest news, analysis, and highlights every week from across the country.

Read the game recap below for No. 17 Villanova Wildcats vs RV Elon Phoenix football on Saturday, October 11.

2025 Villanova vs Elon



No. 17 Villanova Seals Comeback Win On The Road Against Elon

The first half looked great for the home team but at the end of the day, Villanova's talent on both sides of the ball came through in the latter half of the game while Elon's defense was constantly stuck recovering from a serious deficiency in time of possession.

Villanova adds another win and moves above Elon in the CAA standings, likely an important factor as Villanova tries to progress up the top 25 ranks after the early season loss to Monmouth.

The star of the game was Luke Colella (125 yards, 2 TDs, 10 receptions), who added not only his first touchdown of the season but his second to give the Wildcats the lead in the second half. A now very on-brand Ja'briel Mace kickoff return for a touchdown just made it that much more difficult for Elon to reclaim their lead.

Ragland (19 carries, 68 yards) and Avit (17 carries, 64 yards) were a fierce combo in the running game and will continue to split defenders' attention all season long.

In the end, freshman quarterback Landen Clark put up a great effort—closing the gap again and then pushing the game to its very limits on the final drive.

Williams was phenomenal under pressure, tallying a total of 4 catches for 50 yards—plus a whopping 52 yards after the catch.

Unfortunately for the Phoenix faithful on this Homecoming Weekend, he couldn't find an open receiver as the clock hit zero.

Villanova 29, Elon 21

No. 17 Villanova Wildcats

  • Points: 29
  • Total Offense: 393
  • Passing Yards: 255
  • Rushing Yards: 138
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 7-15
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 3-4
  • Penalties: 4-20
  • Time of Possession: 35:06

Elon Phoenix

  • Points: 21
  • Total Offense: 344
  • Passing Yards: 220
  • Rushing Yards: 124
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 5-10
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 0-0
  • Penalties: 2-20
  • Time of Possession: 24:54

Phoenix Get Ball With 63 Seconds After Nova FG - End of 4th

Villanova 29, Elon 21

On 3rd and 4, Wildcats went to Ragland up the middle who was unable to gain more than a yard as Elon forced 4th down and 3. Nova lined up to go for it but were unable to draw Elon offsides before setting up the field goal.

Jack Barnum made the attempt from 32-yards out from the left hash. 8 plays, 58 yards, 2:42.

Back-to-back first downs started the final drive for Elon as they continue playing smart towards the sidelines. With 25 seconds remaining, they were on the Nova 44 yard line with 1st and 10.

A throw up the middle to McMillian for 17 yards kept the clock rolling, which forced a spike from Clark with 12 seconds remaining from inside the 30.

On the next play, Clark breaks out for a scramble to the 16 yard line with just 6 seconds left.

It all came crashing down on a Landen Clark throw to the endzone on the final play with zero seconds as Jamie Tyson comes down with the ball for the interception.

Villanova Runs Clock Out - 2:00, 4th

Villanova 26, Elon 21

Nova sticks to the ground as they only have to run the clock out with just over three minutes left in the game. An 11-yard rush by Ragland gave them another set of downs to continue running out the clock. Elon is forced to use their timeouts as a counter.

On 3rd and 10 on NOVA38 with 2:46 remaining, McQuaide went to the air with four wide, completing a short pass to Colella on the sideline. He added another 25 yards after the catch before being pushed out of bounds to make it a 41-yard gain.

Another short rush from David Avit the clock hit 2:00 for the two-minute timeout.

They end up opting for the field goal.

Elon Stalls, Three And Out - 3:45, 4th

Villanova 26, Elon 21

As the clock passed five minutes remaining, the pressure was on for Elon to turn around another drive like their last. Wildcats defense held strong though and forced the three and out for Yurk to punt it away.

Ja'briel Mace Returns Kickoff For Touchdown - 5:10, 4th

Villanova 26, Elon 21

And just like that, Villanova retook the lead with a 97-yard touchdown from Ja'briel Mace... the same Ja'briel Mace that returned a kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown against Old Dominion earlier this season.

Wildcats went for two to put the game away but DJ James-Hamilton intercepted the pass to make the stop and keep the score within 5.

Elon Finds Spark, Adds Touchdown - 5:20, 4th

Villanova 20, Elon 21

After largely avoiding him today, Clark finally turned to No. 26 Jimmyll Williams twice in a row. He brought in two catches for 15+ yard gains to generate some energy for the Phoenix in the final ten minutes of the game.

Then, Clark shoots it out to the flat where TJ Thomas Jr. was wide open at the sideline, who ran it up field for more than 20 yards after the catch to move into the red zone on 2nd and 7 from the 44.

In a rush of energy, the Phoenix rise from the ashes to tie up with a touchdown from Thomas Jr. who sprinted off the right edge for two yards past Villanova's goal line defense. Luke Barnes PAT is good to retake the lead!

Refs Overturn TD, Nova Kicks FG - 9:49, 4th

Villanova 20, Elon 14

With the ball back in McQuaide's hands, the Wildcats decide to go to the air to start with a huge 44-yard completion up the right side to Lucas Kopecky as Elon's defense continues to get worn out this afternoon.

Isaiah Ragland continued his successful day on the ground with an 8 yard gain to continue their progress. 

On 4th and 2, Nova went to David Avit who broke out to the right sideline and was able to turn the corner for the first down and a 21 yard gain but stepped out of bounds on the 3 yard line.

McQuaide thought he added his third touchdown pass of the day with a short lob over a defender's head which was tipped. The ball deflected towards the ground but Avit was able to dive and make a great catch—or so he thought. 

The referees overturned the call to keep the Wildcats out of the endzone.

Barnum kicked the field goal from 26 yards to add three more to the board and complete the 10-play, 71 yard drive, 4:59.

Elon Tries To Retake Control But Punts - End of 3rd

Villanova 17, Elon 14

With the third quarter dwindling and the Wildcats surging heavily, Elon has to stop the bleed and retake control of the game if they want to add a ranked win today.

On 3rd and 13, Landen Clark threw a bomb deep to the right but it was incomplete as Nova completes another huge stop to complete their takeover of the game.

Yurk punted it for 60 yards but during the punt, tempers flared between two players that broke out into a scrum.

Unnecessary roughness fouls were given to N. Essiem and R. Smith that offset each other.

42-Yard Bomb To Colella Makes It Two, TD Nova -1:44, 3rd

Villanova 17, Elon 14

And it all is coming together for Villanova now, as McQuaide connected with Luke Colella once again for his second touchdown of the season and the day.

Elon Shows Fractures, Punt - 3:19, 3rd

Villanova 10, Elon 14

Clark was brought down for a loss of 10 yards and the first sack of the day went to Ratu Delano Navoti. Although the drive started with a 13-yard completion to McMillian, the next three plays weren't so rosy.

For their second drive in a row, they have their offensive time cut short to give Nova another chance at the endzone.

Yurk punted it away for 50 yards to Braden Reed on 4th and 22.

Luke Colella Makes 20-Yard Catch, Nova TD! - 5:08, 3rd

Villanova 10, Elon 14

McQuaide connected to Luke Colella for a 20 yard catch and Colella's first touchdown of the season.

The scoring play capped off an 11-play, 55 yard drive that lasted 6:23.

Villanova Extends On 4th And 4 - 7:00, 3rd

Villanova 3, Elon 14

Three back-to-back-to-back 5+ yard rushes up the middle by David Avit started the Wildcats' second drive of the half to move the ball through the midfield.

Chaz Knox made a big play, bringing down Avit with a tackle for a loss of two yards—a rare sight with how powerful the running back has been all season.

On 4th and 4, McQuaide made a pass up the middle to Braden Reed to move the chains and keep the drive alive as they neared the redzone.

Elon Three And Out, Punt - 11:30, 3rd

Villanova 3, Elon 14

Elon turned to TJ Thomas Jr. on the ground to move the ball for a 9-yard gain to open the third quarter drive but after that, they stalled.

Yurk punted it away for 45 yards to Landon Herzberg who collected it and ran to the 35 before running out of bounds.

Nova Three And Out, Punt - 13:10, 3rd

Villanova 3, Elon 14

McQuaide and the Wildcats offense take over for their first drive and to start chipping away at the gap. After three gains for less than 3 yards, they punted it away on 4th and 3—not the start they were hoping for.

Second Half Is Up Next!

Stay tuned as Villanova is moments away from receiving the kick to start the second half.

Halftime Stats: Villanova vs Elon

Villanova 3, Elon 14

No. 17 Villanova Wildcats

  • Points: 3
  • Total Offense: 160
  • Passing Yards: 86
  • Rushing Yards: 74
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 6-8
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 0-1
  • Penalties: 2-15
  • Time of Possession: 17:52

Elon Phoenix

  • Points: 14
  • Total Offense: 179
  • Passing Yards: 102
  • Rushing Yards: 77
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 3-4
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 0-0
  • Penalties: 1-10
  • Time of Possession: 12:08

Villanova Tried To Rally But Punts - 0:48, 2nd

Villanova 3, Elon 14

The Homecoming Heroes continue to pour on the pressure on this visiting top-25 ranked Villanova Wildcats team.

As the first half comes to a close, the Wildcats turn to Ragland on the ground for four ground gains in a row, tallying 21 yards.

Chris Colby earned the next first down on a crossing route to the right sideline.

A holding call on Voltaire while protecting McQuaide put the Wildcats in an even deeper hole, 3rd and 17 from the 49. They were unable to overcome the distance and punted it away to give it another shot in the second half.

Dylan Magazu Sets Up Easy Touchdown For Elon - 5:22, 2nd

Villanova 3, Elon 14

A bulldozing push by TE Dylan Magazu put Elon on the 12 after a 23 yard gain. Then, to add to Nova's pain, a weird tripping attempt by Dawud on Landen Clark moved the chains and gave them 1st and goal on the 4 yard line.

It didn't take much for Clark to follow it up shortly after with a sneak through the trenches for the touchdown.

That seals the deal on Elon's longest drive on the game, going 13 plays for 75 yards and eating up 6:43 on the clock.

Elon Building Offensive Momentum - 9:00, 2nd

Villanova 3, Elon 7

Elon retook possession and the Phoenix got back to work moving down the field to challenge Villanova. Clark connected to Kenaz McMillian for an 8-yard catch and a huge first down on 3rd and 4 when it looked like the Wildcats were about to hold strong.

When it rains it pours, though, and Elon followed that up with a massive 25 yard gain, Jimmyll Williams breaking through on a rush to the left to put them in scoring position.

The first penalty was called with a holding on Evan Safreed to set them back 10 yards for 2nd and 20 on the Nova 35.

Villanova Pushed Back But Falls Short, Settles For FG - 12:00, 2nd

Villanova 3, Elon 7

With the second quarter underway, the Villanova Wildcats continued their march down the field to try to tally their first points of the day after an unfortunate ending to their first drive.

After two passes over Nova receiver's heads from the Elon 21-yard line, Villanova found itself on fourth down once again. Burnam's 38-yard field goal was good to add their first points to the board.

No doubt a bit disappointing after a 16-play, 68-yard drive that took more than 7 and a half minutes off the clock.

McQuaide, Nova Offense Builds Rhythm - End of 1st

Villanova 0, Elon 7

Making the connection this time, Villanova started their second drive with a pass complete to the left to Luke Colella for 15 yards. 

Going the other direction, McQuaide made a 9-yard pass to Chris Colby, sharing the love in the air and adding a 5th receiver to the stats sheet.

Nova split responsibilities on the ground between David Avit and Isaiah Ragland to give the Phoenix two threats to deal with as the first quarter came to a close and the field was flipped.

Nova Cuts Elon's Second Drive Short, Punt - 4:47, 1st

Villanova 0, Elon 7

Opening their second offensive drive of the game with a bang, Landen Clark escaped out of the pocket right past the Villanova pass rush to create an impromptu 13 yards QB rush to the right.

Despite the start, they then followed it up with a three and out before turning to Jeff Yurk to punt it away to the Wildcats offense for 43 yards.

Villanova Goes For It On 4th In Opening Drive, Turnover - 7:15, 1st

Villanova 0, Elon 7

Pat McQuaide and David Avit took over possession with likely a bit more pressure than they imagined after such a quick score by the home team.

Elon's defense matched their energy on the other side of the ball, holding Nova to short gains for their first plays of the day.

On 3rd and long, Villanova went to the air to Brandon Binkowski for a catch at the sideline and a gain of 11 and the first down.

The referees decided to take a second look at a play in which McQuaide decided to do a pitch out to Ja'briel Mace that was barely forwards and in near the line of scrimmage for a 10 yard gain.

After the review, they upheld the original call and the Wildcats continued their push down the field.

Phoenix held for a few more chances, holding Villanova to 4th and 3 which they went for—the 11th play of the drive. Scott broke up the pass deep in teh midfield to Luke Colella to force the turnover on downs.

Fuhrmann Makes Catch For 62 Yards To Set Up Elon TD! - 12:51, 1st

Villanova 0, Elon 7

It did not take long for this Phoenix offense to force it in! Two minutes and three seconds, to be exact.

Clark connected to Isaiah Furhmann for a 62-yard pass up the left sideline to create the opportunity for TJ Thomas Jr. to run it in for 8 yards and the first touchdown of the afternoon.

Landen Clark was rightfully fired up with his offense on the sideline after the PAT.

Villanova Wins Toss, Kicks It Off - 15:00, 1st

Villanova 0, Elon 0

And we're off! Nova won the toss and deferred to the second half. Jack Barnum started off the game with a booming 63 yard kick that was received for 24 yards by Elon's TJ Thomas Jr.

And that will begin Elon's first offensive attack of the day with Landen Clark at the helm.

How To Watch Villanova vs. Elon on FloCollege

With kickoff set for 2:00 p.m. ET, the Wildcats and the Phoenix are live on FloCollege!

Kickoff Is Next!

Everything is about to get going in Elon, North Carolina as the Wildcats and Phoenix send their captains to the coin toss.

Projected Starting Quarterbacks: Villanova vs Elon

Pat McQuaide, Villanova Wildcats

A grad student from Solon, Ohio, Pat McQuaide has 81 completions on 139 attempts with one interception and 3 passing TDs. He averages 214 yards per game with a rating of 128.74.

Landen Clark, Elon Phoenix

The redshirt freshman from Radford, VA has earned a 134.75 rating with 76 completions on 145 attempts. His most glaring stat is the 5 interceptions but if he can limit the turnovers, things become much easier.

Clark averages 204 yards per game and has 8 passing TDs.

Players To Watch Today: Villanova vs Elon

Luke Colella (WR), Villanova Wildcats

Grad student wide receiver Luke Colella is a top choice for Pat McQuaide to get the Wildcats out of tough situations. His ability to make clutch catches while being heavily defended has made him a reliable option from whistle to whistle for Villanova this year.

His 94 receiving yards per game puts him 3rd in the CAA and in the top 10 in the FCS—although he still hasn't caught it in the endzone. Surely he's due for at least one today.

Jeff Yurk (P), Elon Phoenix

The redshirt senior punter out of Southern Pines, NC is among the best in the FCS, putting up the 2nd highest average of 48.24 yards over 25 punts.

After being selected to the Preseason All-CAA team, he has accrued a whopping 1206 yards over six games including 12 punts of 50 or more yards.

Although the Phoenix won't want to find themselves on fourth down today, if they do—they'll have a strong special teams card ready to be played in Jeff Yurk today to give the Wildcats a tough starting position.

Phoenix Rising

60 Minutes Until Kickoff: Villanova vs Elon Football By The Numbers

2025 Season Record

No. 17 Villanova Wildcats (3-2, 2-1)

  • Sept. 6 - W, 24-17 vs Colgate
  • Sept. 13 - L, 6-52 at Penn State
  • Sept. 20 - L, 33-51 at Monmouth
  • Sept. 27 - W, 31-24 vs William & Mary

Elon Phoenix (4-2, 2-0)

  • Aug. 28 - L, 17-45 at Duke
  • Sept. 6 - W, 55-7 vs. Davidson
  • Sept. 13 - W, 37-31 at RV Western Carolina
  • Sept. 20 - L, 16-26 at RV ETSU
  • Sept. 27 - W, 41-20 vs Hampton
  • Oct. 4 - W, 17-3 at Towson

Historical Record

  • 2023: Villanova 21 - 0 Elon (Villanova, PA)
  • 2021: Villanova 35 - 0 Elon (Elon, NC)
  • 2017: Elon 19 - 14 Villanova (Villanova, PA)
  • 2016: Villanova 42 - 7 Elon (Elon, NC)

2025 Top Of The Line Stats

No. 17 Villanova Wildcats

  • Points: 131
  • Total Offense: 1980
  • Passing Yards: 1145
  • Rushing Yards: 835
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 44.62%
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 75%
  • Passing Yards Allowed: 1215
  • Rushing Yards Allowed: 800
  • Time of Possession: 31:09

Elon Phoenix

  • Points: 183
  • Total Offense: 2456
  • Passing Yards: 1248
  • Rushing Yards: 1208
  • Third-Down Conversion Percentage: 35.71%
  • Fourth-Down Conversion Percentage: 60%
  • Passing Yards Allowed: 1466
  • Rushing Yards Allowed: 765
  • Time of Possession: 31:23

FCS Watch Schedule On FloCollege

Friday, Oct. 10

Saturday, Oct. 11

  • 1 p.m. ET, South Carolina State vs. North Carolina A&T
  • 1 p.m. ET, New Hampshire vs. Rhode Island
  • 1 p.m. ET, Monmouth vs. Towson
  • 2 p.m. ET, Villanova vs. Elon
  • 2 p.m. ET, Campbell vs. Hampton
  • TBA, Presbyterian vs. Butler

Latest Division I FCS Rankings 

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll For Oct. 6, 2025

  • 1. North Dakota St. (5-0) - Previous Rank: 1
  • 2. South Dakota St. (5-0) - Previous Rank: 2
  • 3. Tarleton St. (6-0) - Previous Rank: 3
  • 4. Montana (5-0) - Previous Rank: 4
  • 5. Montana St. (4-2) - Previous Rank: 5
  • 6. UC Davis (4-1) - Previous Rank: 7
  • 7. Tennessee Tech (5-0) - Previous Rank: 9
  • 8. Lehigh (6-0) - Previous Rank: 8
  • 9. Southern Illinois (4-1) - Previous Rank: 11
  • 10. Illinois St. (3-2) - Previous Rank: 6
  • 11. Monmouth (N.J.) (4-1) - Previous Rank: 12
  • 12. North Dakota (3-2) - Previous Rank: 14
  • 13. Idaho (2-3) - Previous Rank: 15
  • 14. Jackson St. (4-1) - Previous Rank: 17
  • 15. Austin Peay (4-2) - Previous Rank: 21
  • 16. Northern Arizona (4-2) - Previous Rank: 13
  • 17. Villanova (3-2) - Previous Rank: 19
  • 18. Rhode Island (4-2) - Previous Rank: 10
  • 19. Mercer (4-1) - Previous Rank: 22
  • 20. Youngstown St. (3-2) - Previous Rank: 18
  • 21t. ACU (3-3) - Previous Rank: 23
  • 21t. West Georgia (5-1) - Previous Rank: 16
  • 23. Presbyterian (5-0) - Previous Rank: 24
  • 24. Lamar (4-1) - Previous Rank: 25
  • 25. Harvard (3-0) - Previous Rank: NR

Dropped Out: UIW (20)

Others Receiving Votes: Southeastern Louisiana, 52; Furman, 38; Stephen F. Austin, 33; South Dakota, 21; UIW, 19; Gardner-Webb, 12; Alabama St., 9; Brown, 6; Elon, 6; North Carolina Central, 5; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 4; Lafayette, 3; Cal Poly, 2.

The CAA Standings

CAA football is in full swing. With most teams already playing conference football, here is a look at the standings in the CAA so far! 

CAA Standings Week 5

  • Monmouth, 1–0 CAA, 4–1 overall
  • Elon, 2–0 CAA, 4–2 overall
  • Rhode Island, 2–0 CAA, 4–2 overall
  • Villanova, 2–1 CAA, 3–2 overall
  • William & Mary, 2–1 CAA, 3–3 overall
  • Maine, 2–1 CAA, 2–4 overall
  • Stony Brook, 1–1 CAA, 3–3 overall
  • Towson, 1–1 CAA, 3–3 overall
  • New Hampshire, 1–1 CAA, 3–3 overall
  • Campbell, 1–1 CAA, 1–5 overall
  • North Carolina A&T, 1–2 CAA, 1–5 overall
  • Hampton, 0–2 CAA, 2–4 overall
  • Bryant, 0–3 CAA, 2–4 overall
  • Albany, 0–2 CAA, 1–5 overall

The Story of Gulf South Conference Football | The Winningest Conference in D2 Football History

The Gulf South Conference is the winningest conference in NCAA Division II football history. 

From legendary teams and unforgettable players to championship moments that defined an era, the GSC has set the standard for excellence. This feature dives into the history, tradition, and legacy of Gulf South Conference Football and the people who built it.

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