Honestly, if you only looked at the final score of the last Villanova vs Maryland football matchup, you’d probably think it was just another routine FBS-over-FCS blowout. A 38-20 victory for the Terps. Standard stuff, right? Well, not exactly. If you were actually sitting in the stands at SECU Stadium on that September afternoon in 2024, you saw a game that was way weirder and more stressful for the home fans than the box score suggests.
Maryland came out like a house on fire. They scored on their first four drives. It was 24-0 before Villanova even realized they were in College Park. Billy Edwards Jr. was playing like a man possessed, and Tai Felton was catching literally everything thrown in his general vicinity. But then, things got kinda "college football" in the third quarter.
The Momentum Shift Nobody Saw Coming
The Wildcats are a top-tier FCS program for a reason. They don’t just roll over. After being outgained 326 to 51 in the first half—which is frankly embarrassing—Villanova decided to make it a game. They picked off Edwards. They recovered an onside kick. Suddenly, that 24-0 lead shrank to 24-10, and you could feel the collective heart rate of the Maryland faithful start to spike.
It was a classic trap game scenario. Maryland had a big road trip to Indiana looming, and they clearly started looking ahead. Villanova’s defense started hitting harder, forcing the Terps into a "lackluster" third quarter that Mike Locksley later used as a teaching moment. It took a ridiculous 61-yard grab by Felton in double coverage to finally put the nail in the coffin.
Breaking Down the History: Why This Matchup is Rarer Than You Think
You might be surprised to learn that these two schools, despite being only about two hours apart, have barely played in the modern era. Before the 2024 meeting, they hadn't seen each other since 2007.
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The Series Snapshot:
- Total Games: 13
- Maryland Lead: 11-2
- The Villanova Glory Days: The Wildcats actually won the first two meetings back in 1970 and 1971. Since then? It’s been 11 straight for the Terps.
- The Points Gap: Maryland has averaged nearly 25 points per game across the series, while Villanova struggles to break 10 on average.
The 1970 game is actually a bit of a legend in Villanova circles. They went into College Park and walked away with a 21-3 win. Back then, the programs were on much more level ground. Today, the scholarship gap and the Big Ten resources make it a massive uphill climb for a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) team.
The Tai Felton Show
We have to talk about Tai Felton. What he did in the most recent Villanova vs Maryland football game was historic. He caught 14 passes. That tied him for second-most in a single game in Maryland history, matching the legendary Torrey Smith.
He had eight catches in the first quarter alone. Think about that. That's a catch every couple of minutes. By the time the game ended, he had 157 yards and a touchdown. It wasn't just that he was open; he was making catches that looked like they belonged in a Sunday night NFL highlight reel.
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What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
There’s a common misconception that playing an FCS team like Villanova is a "bye week" for a Big Ten school. It's not. Villanova entered that 2024 game ranked 5th in the FCS. They are a disciplined, well-coached unit under Mark Ferrante.
When an FBS team plays a program like Villanova, they have everything to lose and nothing to gain. If Maryland wins by 40, everyone says "they were supposed to." If they struggle—like they did in that third quarter—the critics come out in droves.
Key Stats from the 2024 Clash:
- Total Yards: Maryland 497, Villanova 231.
- Passing Efficiency: Billy Edwards Jr. went 28-of-32 (87.5%), breaking the school record for completion percentage.
- Third Down Success: Maryland was a clinical 7-of-10, while Villanova struggled at 4-of-13.
The Identity of Villanova Football
Villanova isn't just a "basketball school." Their football program has a national championship (2009) and consistently produces NFL talent. Names like Brian Westbrook and Howie Long come to mind. When they scheduled Maryland, it wasn't just for a paycheck; it was a recruiting tool. Being able to tell a kid from the DMV area that they’ll get to play in a Big Ten stadium is a huge deal.
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Their quarterback, Connor Watkins, had a rough go of it in 2024, finishing 12-of-29. But the Wildcat defense showed they could hang. They blocked a field goal and forced two turnovers. If their offense had any rhythm in the first half, we might be talking about one of the biggest upsets in the region's history.
Strategic Takeaways for Future Matchups
If these two ever meet again, here is the blueprint you'll see. Maryland will try to use their sheer depth and size to overwhelm the line of scrimmage early. They want to end the game by halftime so they can rest their starters.
Villanova, on the other hand, relies on "shortening" the game. They want long drives, even if they don't result in touchdowns, just to keep the explosive Maryland offense off the field. In the 2024 game, Villanova actually won the time of possession battle (32:16 to 27:44), but they couldn't turn that clock control into enough points.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the "Hangover" Effect: Always look at who the FBS team plays the week after Villanova. Maryland looked distracted in the second half because they were thinking about Big Ten play.
- Respect the FCS Rankings: If Villanova is in the top 10 of the FCS polls, the spread is often too wide. They covered the +22.5 spread in 2024 by a hook, losing by 18.
- The Felton Factor: When a Big Ten team has a legitimate NFL-caliber receiver, the talent gap in the secondary is usually where the game is won. Villanova simply didn't have anyone who could match Felton's speed and size.
To stay ahead of the next potential meeting or to track how these programs evolve, you should follow the CAA and Big Ten injury reports closely. The gap between these teams often comes down to who is healthy on the offensive line. Keep an eye on the transfer portal too; Maryland has increasingly used it to fill gaps that a program like Villanova usually fills with four-year developmental players.