The Villanova Wildcats traveled 25 miles or so to Lincoln Financial Field and beat the Temple Owls there on Sunday, an FCS-over-FBS upset that gives Nova Philadelphian college football supremacy for the foreseeable future. The final score was 19-17.
FCS Villanova beats FBS Temple and claims metro Philadelphia supremacy
The new Philadelphia football rankings: 1. Eagles, 2. Villanova, 3. Temple. (4. The Arena League Philadelphia Soul.)
Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Nova led by the final score for the last seven minutes of the game, which was a defensive struggle all the way through. The play that sealed it was an interception by Nova’s Elijah Trent with 1:18 to play. That led to a dog-pile celebration on the field and a meaningless unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before the Wildcats drained the clock.
Senior VU QB Zach Bednarczyk was 29-of-40 for 254 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick. Running back Aaron Forbes carried 16 times for 111 yards for the Cats.
The result also tipped the all-time series slightly in Nova’s favor.
Temple had been favored by 15.5.
The Wildcats don’t, for the moment, appear on any future Temple schedules. It might be some time before the Owls get a chance to avenge this L and reinstate themselves as their city’s second-best team behind the one that just won the Super Bowl.
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