UNH Downed by #18 Villanova, 37-7

Saturday, October 4

Durham, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

3-3 , 1-1

Villanova

3-2 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Villanova

New Hampshire

Photo by: Ryan Moran

10/4/2025 6:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – The 18^th-ranked Villanova University football team ended the game with 30 unanswered points to record a 37-7 road win against the University of New Hampshire at Wildcat Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

UNH sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza (Elmhurst, Ill.) completed 13 of 23 passes for 118 yards and had 10 rushes for a team-high 48 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown run. Grad student Chase Wilson (Lake Charles, La.) had a team-best 50 receiving yards.

Redshirt freshman Isaiah Jones (Springfield, Mass.) finished with a team-high eight tackles.

Villanova's Ja'briel Mace had three rushing touchdowns on three carries for 34 yards. David Avit rushed 14 times for 102 yards, including a 34-yard scamper that opened the game scoring, and Isaiah Ragland had 19 carries for 84 yards.

Quarterback Pat McQuaide was 16-for-25 for 219 yards.

UNH moves to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in CAA Football while Villanova improved to 3-2, 1-1.

UP NEXT

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 11 (1pm) at No. 8 University of Rhode Island.
The Wildcats' next home game is Oct. 25 (1pm) against William & Mary during Family Weekend.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets or e-mail unh.tickets@unh.edu or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST QUARTER

Anthony Hawkins intercepted a Vezza pass on the fifth play of the game to give Villanova 1^st-and-10 at the UNH 34 and Avit scored on the next snap to give the visitors a 7-0 lead at 12:38.
UNH responded with a 4-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 35-yard quarterback keeper around the right side by Vezza. The PAT kick by Nick Reed (Harrison, N.Y.) tied the score, 7-7, at 10:08.
That scoring drive started with a 30-yard pass play from Vezza to Wilson, which proved to be UNH's longest pass play of the game.
Vezza's TD run was the Wildcats' longest play.

SECOND QUARTER

Villanova outscored the hosts 17-0 in the second quarter to take a 24-7 lead into halftime.
Mace opened the second quarter with a 34-yard TD run to put VU back on top, 14-7, at 14:53.
After holding UNH to a 3-and-out, the visitors went 60 yards on six plays and extended the advantage to 21-7 on Mace's 2-yard run.
New Hampshire advanced to the VU 28 on the next possession, but consecutive sacks pushed UNH out of field goal range.
Villanova got the ball back with 2:11 on the clock at its 11-yard line. They quickly got the ball to the UNH 10 and Jack Barnum's 27-yard field goal on 4^th-and-goal made it 24-7. The 'Cats needed only 1:36 to gain 79 yards on 11 plays.

THIRD QUARTER

UNH gained momentum early in the third quarter when Ryan Blagg (Westford, Mass.) stopped Villanova's fake punt for a four-yard gain on 4^th-and-5.
New Hampshire marched to the VU 12 but were sopped on 3^rd-and-2 and Reed's 31-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to keep the score 24-7 at 5:37.

FOURTH QUARTER

Villanova answered with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 7:49 off the clock and pushed the lead to 31-7 on Mace's one-yard plunge up the middle at 12:48.
The home Wildcats again went into Villanova territory but the drive ended at the VU 37 when a 4^th-and-7 play resulted in an incomplete pass.
VU churned out a 14-play, 63-yard drive with 8:59 time of possession that produced an Isaiah Wright 3-yard TD run at 1:54.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Duncan Moreland (Beverly, Mass.) recorded his 100^th career tackle with the fifth of his six tackles. He is UNH's active career leader with 101 (59 solo, 42 assisted).
Justice Akinmoladun (Grandview, Mo.) is on the cusp of 100 career tackles with 96.
Zach Garron (Bedford, N.H.) recorded two tackles for loss, including a sack. He finished with four tackles.

Wildcats for Life is back Sept. 29–Oct. 10

UNH Athletics' annual fall fundraiser supports student-athletes across all programs and this year, your impact goes even further thanks to a generous $35,000 match. Every gift helps fuel the success of our Wildcats.
CLICK HERE to donate