# 2017 Villanova Wildcats football team

The 2017 Villanova Wildcats football team represented Villanova University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Mark Ferrante and played their home games at Villanova Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 5–6, 3–5 in CAA play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 12:30 p.m. | at No. 17 Lehigh* | No. 10 | Goodman StadiumBethlehem, PA | SE2 | W 38–35 | 5,816 |
| September 9 | 3:30 p.m. | at Temple* | No. 6 | Lincoln Financial FieldPhiladelphia, PA (Mayor's Cup) | ESPN3 | L 13–16 | 35,117 |
| September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Lafayette* | No. 7 | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA | ESPN3 | W 59–0 | 9,671 |
| September 23 | 7:00 p.m. | at Albany | No. 7 | Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey StadiumAlbany, NY | ESPN3 | L 10–19 $^{OT}$ | 6,866 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at Towson | No. 14 | Johnny Unitas StadiumTowson, MD | TSN | W 24–9 | 5,017 |
| October 7 | 1:00 p.m. | Maine | No. 12 | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA | CSL | W 31–0 | 4,505 |
| October 14 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 1 James Madison | No. 11 | Bridgeforth StadiumHarrisonburg, VA (College GameDay) | CSL | L 8–30 | 25,993 |
| October 28 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 10 Elon | No. 13 | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA | NNAA | L 14–19 | 5,451 |
| November 4 | 1:00 p.m. | Richmond | No. 20 | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA | NNAA | L 0–22 | 3,508 |
| November 11 | 12:30 p.m. | at Rhode Island | | Meade StadiumKingston, RI | CSL | L 6–20 | 2,877 |
| November 18 | 1:00 p.m. | Delaware | | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA (Battle of the Blue) | NNAA | W 28–7 | 5,109 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### At Lehigh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Wildcats | 7 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
| No. 17 Mountain Hawks | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |

### At Temple

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 6 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Owls | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |

### Lafayette

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Leopards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 7 Wildcats | 13 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 59 |

### At Albany

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| No. 7 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Great Danes | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 19 |

### At Towson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 14 Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Tigers | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 |

### Maine

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Black Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 12 Wildcats | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |

### At James Madison

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 11 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| No. 1 Dukes | 3 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 30 |

### Elon

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Phoenix | 0 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 19 |
| No. 13 Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |

### Richmond

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Spiders | 3 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 22 |
| No. 20 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### At Rhode Island

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Rams | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 20 |

### Delaware

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fightin' Blue Hens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Wildcats | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 28 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 10 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 20 | RV | — | — | — |
| Coaches | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 20 | RV | — | — | — |