The official dates for Villanova men’s basketball’s Big East matchups were released Monday, revealing the full schedule after the Wildcats’ 12 nonconference games.
The Wildcats, in their second season under coach Kevin Willard and with a roster that could land the team in or near the preseason top 25, tip off their 2026-27 conference games in Nebraska as they take on Creighton at the CHI Health Center Omaha on Dec. 19.
Villanova’s first game at the Finneran Pavilion in conference play is against Providence on Dec. 22. From there, January’s slate features away games against Georgetown (Jan. 3), Xavier (Jan. 6), Butler (Jan. 15), and DePaul (Jan. 22). The Wildcats then play home games against Marquette (Jan. 9), Seton Hall (Jan. 12), Xavier (Jan. 19), and Creighton (Jan. 27).
Villanova opens February in Connecticut to take on UConn (Feb. 3). Other away games for the month include Seton Hall (Feb. 10), Providence (Feb. 17), St. John’s (Feb. 23), and Marquette (Feb. 26), with the Golden Eagles being the Wildcats’ final road matchup.
The February schedule also features three home games, the first two at Xfinity Mobile Arena in a clash with back-to-back conference champion St. John’s (Feb. 6) and last year’s national runner-up UConn on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 14. The game against the Huskies will mark the last time Villanova competes at its off-campus arena, which will also feature three nonconference games against Michigan (Nov. 21), the Big 5 Classic (Dec. 5), and Wisconsin (Dec. 12).
The last home game of the month against Butler (Feb. 20) will be at Finneran Pavilion, as will Villanova’s final two regular season games in March against DePaul (March 3) and Georgetown (March 6), ahead of the Big East Tournament beginning on March 10 at Madison Square Garden.
The Villanova men’s basketball team during an open practice on July 27.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
With the NCAA Division I Council approving an increase from 31 to 32 regular-season games, Villanova and the entire conference will each have one extra nonconference game before Big East play begins on Dec. 12.
Last season, the Wildcats went 15-5 in Big East play, finishing third in the conference as part of an overall 24-9 season and with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. This year, they look to take a step forward boasting a tougher nonconference schedule and talented newcomers alongside last year’s leading scorer in senior guard Tyler Perkins.
Here is Villanova’s full schedule, with times to be announced at a later date:
Nov. 1 vs. Notre Dame (Rome)
Nov. 6 vs. Holy Cross
Nov. 10 vs. La Salle
Nov. 14 vs. Rider
Nov. 17 at Pittsburgh
Nov. 21 vs. Michigan (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
Nov. 24 vs. Coppin State
Nov. 27 at Kansas
Dec. 1 at Temple
Dec. 5 Big 5 Classic (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
Dec. 9 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Dec. 12 vs. Wisconsin (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
Dec. 19 at Creighton
Dec. 22 vs. Providence
Jan. 3 at Georgetown
Jan. 6 at Xavier
Jan. 9 vs. Marquette
Jan. 12 vs. Seton Hall
Jan. 15 at Butler
Jan. 19 vs. Xavier
Jan. 22 at DePaul
Jan. 27 vs. Creighton
Feb. 3 at UConn
Feb. 6 vs. St. John’s (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
Feb. 10 at Seton Hall
Feb. 14 vs. UConn (Xfinity Mobile Arena)
Feb. 17 at Providence
Feb. 20 vs. Butler
Feb. 23 at St. John’s
Feb. 26 at Marquette
March 3 vs. DePaul
March 6 vs. Georgetown
March 10-13: Big East Tournament (Madison Square Garden)
The unprecedented comeback by Texas to knock off Ohio State moved the Longhorns to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll Sunday and pushed the Buckeyes out of the top five for the first time in two seasons.
Oregon, meanwhile, plummeted 15 spots to No. 21, its lowest ranking in four years, after its 39-31 road loss to an Oklahoma State team that had lost 21 straight against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents.
Michigan, which fell out of the Top 25 after needing an extra second and second-chance Hail Mary try to beat Western Michigan a week ago, returned to the poll at No. 19 following its 17-10 win over No. 11 Oklahoma. The Sooners dropped 13 spots to No. 24.
Texas’ comeback from 20 points down in the fourth quarter to win 24-23 was the largest fourth-quarter rally ever for a win against an AP No. 1 team, according to Sportradar, and avenged a season-opening loss to the Buckeyes a year ago that knocked the Longhorns out of the No. 1 spot.
Texas received 56 first-place votes from the voting panel of writers and broadcasters and holds down the No. 1 spot in the regular season for the first time since Oct. 13, 2024.
Oregon’s fall is the biggest surprise of the season to date. The Ducks came in with a cast of returning stars and a transfer class that raised the program’s hopes of winning its first national championship. But they struggled to beat Boise State at home in the opener and then allowed 554 yards and generated just 281 in their first loss to an unranked opponent since 2021.
In and out
Michigan rebounded from its controversial win over Western Michigan to beat Oklahoma as a 4.5-point home underdog and returned at No. 19.
A second straight uninspired performance sent Washington out of the rankings. A week after the Huskies beat Washington State 24-10, they won 16-14 over Utah State as a 26.5-point home favorite. Washington became the first 2-0 team to win and drop out of the rankings since 2014.
Matt Campbell preached all offseason that he’d know the true identity of this Penn State team when it first faces adversity.
That moment came against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday. The Nittany Lions failed to score on their first two red zone opportunities, missed a 33-yard field goal, and were tied 3-3 with the Owls deep into the second quarter.
But Penn State responded in a big way with 27 unanswered points en route to a 27-9 win over Temple.
“I felt like nobody flinched, nobody wavered,” Campbell said. “There was no complaining.”
Quarterback Rocco Becht said he was glad to face some difficulties. Now Penn State knows it’s capable of overcoming them and what it needs to work on moving forward.
“I thought it was a good game for us to have,” Becht said. “I think to be humbled coming off of a good win, coming out here and playing Temple, a good team, and we just started off a little slow. I think we needed this early before we got into conference play.”
Ben Brahmer steps up
Tight end Ben Brahmer said Tuesday his position is the “heartbeat” of offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s offense, but he and his fellow tight ends were relatively quiet in the passing game against Marshall last weekend.
Saturday against Temple, Brahmer flipped the script and showed why he was a John Mackey Award semifinalist last year. The senior led Penn State with 79 receiving yards and two touchdowns, both of which were 23-yard scores.
“It’s been great,” Brahmer said. “Just kind of keeping my head down and working. I know the ball will come to me when it happens, and I just got to be ready for that. Just got lucky today and got open a couple times.”
Brahmer’s first touchdown Saturday was arguably the most important. With just seconds on the clock before halftime, Campbell decided not to call a timeout.
Becht found Brahmer wide open over the middle of the end zone to put Penn State up, 10-3, as it headed into the locker room.
“Just setting the tone for the rest of the game going into half,” Brahmer said. “It’s huge, winning the middle eight, kind of just staying on the same page, keeping our head down. [Mouser] was making a lot of good calls. We just had to execute those.”
Penn State’s defensive end room
Campbell announced postgame that redshirt sophomore defensive end Max Granville is out for the season after injuring himself at practice this week.
Granville, who missed all of 2025 with an undisclosed injury, was expected to play a big role this season as a young edge rusher with loads of potential. He initially joined the Nittany Lions in 2024 after reclassifying and appeared in seven games.
“Obviously, a really tough blow for our football team, and most importantly, a really tough blow for Max,” Campbell said. “The thing I love about Max is he’s kind of been a pillar of glue for the unity of our football team over the last nine months. Who he is, what his character is, and I think that’s why we’re all really convinced that he’ll come back better than ever.”
The depth in Penn State’s defensive end room was already thin, with sophomore LaVar Arrington II out for four to six weeks, so Granville’s injury stings.
The Nittany Lions will have to lean on redshirt senior Ikenna Ezeogu, sophomores Yvan Kemajou and Alex McPherson, and redshirt senior Caleb Bacon, who recently switched positions from linebacker to defensive end.
Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas (13) reacts with the team after an interception during the first quarter against Temple on Saturday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Penn State has three sacks through two nonconference games. Freshman Jackson Ford, a Malvern Prep graduate who recovered a fumble against Marshall, could see more playing time moving forward.
“Max is like a rock to us, and he will be for the future,” said linebacker Tony Rojas. “Just having him along with us on away games is going to be awesome for us and something we need.”
At halftime Saturday, Temple honored the standard it has spent nearly a decade trying to reclaim.
Members of Temple’s 2016 conference championship team returned to Lincoln Financial Field during the Owls’ 27-9 loss to Penn State and gathered in an end zone for a halftime recognition.
The reunion celebrated the defining accomplishment of Temple’s modern era while recalling the toughness, resilience, and brotherhood that transformed an uneven start into a conference title.
Nearly a decade later, those qualities offer a blueprint for a program that is attempting to recapture its former success in its second season under coach K.C. Keeler.
Former Temple quarterback P.J. Walker says it’s a thrill to be honored for the successes during his time with the program.
“It means everything [being recognized],” said P.J. Walker, quarterback of the 2016 team. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the guys to get back and understand the value of the success we had while we were there playing and the appreciation we received.”
Temple entered 2016 carrying expectations created by the previous season, when the Owls started 7-0, defeated Penn State, 27-10, at Lincoln Financial Field, and reached the conference championship game. Their return trip did not follow the same path.
The Owls opened with a loss to Army and fell to 3-3 after losing at Memphis. With their hopes of an undefeated season gone, Walker said the team narrowed its focus to the goal still within reach.
“We were finally able to settle in and focus on what was important, and that was winning the conference,” Walker said. “One thing led to another and led to us being able to play in the conference championship and win it.”
Temple did not lose again during the regular season. The Owls won their final six conference games before defeating then-No. 20 Navy, 34-10, in Annapolis, Md., to complete a seven-game winning streak and capture the championship of the American Athletic Conference (now the American Conference) .
The turnaround was rooted in lessons learned before 2016. Walker arrived during coach Matt Rhule’s first season in 2013, when Temple finished 2-10, and developed alongside players who eventually formed the core of consecutive 10-win teams.
“We were battle-tested,” Walker said. “The resiliency we showed day in and day out — we were pushed by Matt Rhule at a high level. When I say pushed, we were pushed, and we respected that. We knew the work we put in was a lot, and we weren’t going to let that work not pay off when it came to Saturday.”
That standard had become embedded within the locker room by 2015. Former Temple offensive lineman Kyle Friend and defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis, leaders on the team that preceded the championship group, said players became responsible for maintaining it.
Players from Temple’s 2016 championship team say that the standard created by former Owls coach Matt Rhule (pictured) was at an all-time high.
“We pushed each other to the point where the coaches didn’t need to push us,” Ioannidis said. “We were harder on ourselves than the coaches could have been on us. We held each other accountable, and we stuck together in the tough games.”
Saturday illustrated the distance Temple still must travel and the possibility of beginning that climb. The Owls entered as considerable underdogs against Penn State but kept the game competitive throughout the first half before the Nittany Lions pulled away after halftime.
The loss on Saturday dropped Temple to 1-1, but its ability to remain within striking distance of a ranked team offered a glimpse of the toughness its predecessors considered essential.
However, doing so has become more complicated in a college football landscape reshaped by the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness compensation. Friend and Ioannidis were developed from lightly recruited prospects into NFL players, a path that defined Rhule’s Temple teams but has become increasingly difficult for subsequent Owls teams to replicate.
“It’s exciting to have a new coach who has a good track record,” Friend said. “I think it’s an interesting dynamic with NIL. That has changed the game drastically.”
Former Temple players believe that, like Rhule, Owls’ current head coach, K.C. Keeler, has the tools to bring success back to the program.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
For Walker, however, the foundation of Temple’s success was not dependent upon the era.
“I think the brotherhood meant more than anything,” Walker said. “The way we went out there and fought for one another and battled for one another made a huge difference during those 2015 and 2016 seasons.”
Walker believes Keeler can restore that culture by recruiting players willing to compete for opportunities and commit to one another. And, while the former Owls returned Saturday to celebrate their own achievement, Walker said their role now is to support the players attempting to create the program’s next successful era.
“I think Coach Keeler is a great coach,” Walker said. “I think he’s the right coach for this program. To see those guys continue building that legacy and building who they are as a unit — it’s awesome to see. I think they are doing it the right way.”
Penn State walked into Lincoln Financial Field for the first time in over a decade as heavy favorites over Temple and left having satisfied expectations in a 27-9 win on Saturday.
While the Owls scored first and continued to run stride-for-stride with No. 16 Penn State, they came back to earth in the second half. They faltered under Penn State’s Big Ten pressure and lost to a ranked opponent for the 13th straight time.
“All in all, I thought our kids battled all day long against a good team,” Temple coach K.C. Keeler said. “I told them it was more about us playing clean than anything else, and we didn’t play clean enough.”
On the first play from scrimmage, Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht went long to Koby Howard for 56 yards, good for the team’s longest pass this season. Suddenly, the Nittany Lions stood 9 yards away from six points.
After a Carson Hansen rush brought the visitors 4 yards closer, Penn State was flagged for an illegal forward pass. On third-and-9, Becht was sacked for a loss of 6 yards. Penn State then missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.
Temple quarterback Jaxon Smolik (14) runs the ball during the second quarter.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
After a three-and-out, the Owls’ second possession ended when Tony Rojas picked off Jaxon Smolik and returned it 13 yards to Temple’s 5-yard line. The Nittany Lions were in prime position, but they gained just 2 yards before Becht decided to throw on fourth-and-goal. The Owls closed all windows and forced an incomplete pass at their front door.
“We almost knew every play they ran and kind of knew what was coming,” Temple linebacker Curly Ordonez said.
The scariest close call came at the start of the second quarter. Becht launched a rocket to Chase Sowell in front of the end zone. Temple cornerback Adrian Laing broke up the pass, and Penn State settled for a 31-yard field goal.
But the pressure in the red zone dwindled as the second quarter rolled around.
Becht settles in
Becht completed just one of three passes in the opening quarter — that 56-yarder in the first minute. The Nittany Lions largely kept the ball in Hansen’s hands for their 11 first-quarter plays on offense.
But Becht, the Iowa State transfer, looked more comfortable in the next 15 minutes, and it translated to the score sheet.
With the game tied, 3-3, Penn State began its final drive of the first half at its own 17-yard line with 1 minute, 57 seconds remaining. Becht completed four straight passes as the Nittany Lions marched to Temple’s 44. After a 12-yard rush by James Peoples, Becht took back over and connected with Benjamin Brahmer from 23 yards out to take a 10-7 lead.
The drive lasted 1:49, so Temple didn’t have much time to respond, and Penn State scored all 27 of its points unanswered. Backed by a cagey offensive line, Becht looked calm and comfortable in the pocket and finished 268 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-27 passing. Brahmer, a senior tight end, was Penn State’s leading receiver with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht finished with 268 passing yards.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Jaxon Smolik takes the reins
In last week’s 38-14 win over Rhode Island, Smolik and Ajani Sheppard split reps, and neither created much separation in coach Keeler’s eyes in the battle for the starting role.
But on Saturday, Keeler went to Smolik to start and stayed there. While Temple went three-and-out on its first drive, Smolik connected regularly on short passes once he settled in. He tallied 59 yards on 10-16 passing.
Against Rhode Island, Sheppard held a clear edge on the ground, but Smolik flipped that on Saturday. He managed to create positive plays on scrambles and squeak past linebackers for 71 rushing yards on seven carries.
Temple even ran a bootleg play for him, which he executed perfectly. After faking a handoff to Hunter Smith, Smolik burst to his left for 47 yards while most eyes followed his partner.
Sheppard took the field with Temple down, 27-3, and 7:48 left. He made the most of his time and scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown with 1:56 left.
But to Keeler, the competition is ongoing.
“Probably midway through we decided to give Jaxon the ball for the snaps, and Ajani was going to be more of a package guy,” Keeler said. “We’ll evaluate the tape.”
Temple quarterback Ajani Sheppard scored the Owls’ lone touchdown on Saturday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Up next
Temple hits the road for the first time this season to face Toledo on Sept. 19 (3 p.m., CBSSN).
“We are” chants rang throughout Lincoln Financial Field, replacing the Eagles’ chants that would take over in less than 24 hours, and the stadium that typically would be engulfed in midnight green was temporarily blanketed in white as No. 16 Penn State made the trip to Philadelphia to face Temple.
Saturday’s game was the first time the teams faced off in a decade, renewing a 95-year-old rivalry. In their last meeting in 2016, the Owls lost by seven at Beaver Stadium.
This time around, Temple suffered a similar fate — losing, 27-9, as Penn State improved its all-time record against the Owls to 41-4-1.
From a Penn State takeover to a Meek Mill appearance, here’s everything you might’ve missed on Saturday at the Linc:
Meek Mill leads Temple out of the tunnel
The familiar sounds of Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” track was heard throughout the Linc as Temple made its way onto the field. From the Jumbotron, fans could see the Philadelphia rapper front and center, leading the Owls out of the tunnel as red smoke and pyrotechnics covered one side of the field.
This came just a few days after the North Philly native partnered with the university to welcome high school seniors and Temple students to the Dream Chasers Summit, at the Liacouras Center.
Although the record against the Owls leans heavily in Penn State’s favor, Temple did shock the world in 2015 — the teams’ last matchup at the Linc. Temple’s defense dominated a game in which Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg was sacked 10 times.
The Owls entered that game as a seven-point underdog and beat the Nittany Lions, 27-10, in front of a crowd of mostly blue and white. Temple alumnus Ron Fries attended the game, and after the upset, Fries, 55, knew he had to become a season-ticket holder.
Temple players celebrate the last time they beat Penn State, a 27-10 victory in 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field.DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer
“I went to that game and a couple other games that year, but being at that game and just the energy — the Penn State energy left and the Temple energy that was there, which was outnumbered a lot,” Fries said. “But the folks that stayed, it was tremendous, and that’s why I became a season-ticket holder.”
An upset wasn’t in the cards this time around, but a lot of fans were optimistic beforehand.
”I’m hopeful that they’re able to produce something positive,” Fries said. “I would be ecstatic if they won like they did 11 years ago, but if they don’t, I just want to see something positive come out of them against a big program like Penn State.”
Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas (left) reacts after a first-quarter interception against Temple on Saturday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Beaver Stadium East
Like the Penn State-Temple game in 2015, Temple fans were outnumbered at home.
”It looks like it’s been a pretty big whiteout here in the parking lots,” Penn State alum Joe McGoldrick, 26, said before the game.
Penn State flags were plentiful at tailgates in the sports complex parking lots, and fans in blue and white jerseys were out in droves through Lots D to M as students from State College were being bussed in. Shrines to the Nittany Lion could be seen at every turn — including at “Ernie’s Tailgate,” a tradition dating to 1977, when Tim Ernst was a freshman at Penn State.
Ernst, who graduated in 1981 and got his master’s in 1993, started the tradition from his dorm room. Since then, he said he’s attended every Penn State home game, and he isn’t thinking of stopping anytime soon.
“We’re excited for the new coach; we’re excited for our new team,” Ernst said. “Rocco Becht, our quarterback, we’re very excited to have him on board. College football is challenging with all the transfers taking place and all that, but we’re going to have a very good year this year.
“I think we’re going to make the playoffs, and we’ll see where it goes from there. And I don’t want to say any bad words about [James] Franklin but it was time to make a change. [Penn State coach Matt] Campbell has been saying all the right things. He believes in the [Joe] Paterno way where education is important, making these young boys into men is important. And that’s what Joe Paterno always emphasized.”
The Penn State takeover continued inside the stadium, as thousands of fans traveled to see Campbell improve his record to 2-0 as Penn State’s coach after a 45-0 win over Marshall in Week 1.
”Penn State isn’t coached by James Franklin anymore, thank God,” McGoldrick said. “I was there at the game last week, they looked very good against Marshall. I think they’re just going to do the same thing they did last week. I think they’ll have a home-crowd environment. So, that’ll help too.”
A neighborhood rivalry
As the ocean of blue and white jerseys swarmed the tailgating lots, one Temple fan, Michael Kiedaisch, wasn’t worried.
“The sea of red is on the way,” Kiedaisch said.
Kiedaisch, whose 18-year-old son, Brian, attends Temple, made the trip down from Newtown, Bucks County, with his family to watch the game and cheer on the Owls — but there was one issue. Kiedaisch’s neighbor, Art Krysko, also made the trip. And his family — including his 19-year-old daughter, Madelyn, and 21-year-old son, Joey, who attend Penn State — were cheering for the rival team.
“We had kids,” Krysko said. “And they went to different schools. And we’re a little [ticked] about it.”
Temple Owls quarterback Jaxon Smolik (14) runs upfield during the second quarter in Saturday’s game against Penn State at the Linc. Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
The competition between the two started as soon as they left their neighborhood.
“When we left the neighborhood, he blew the stop sign and tried to lose me on the drive down because I’m supporting Temple and he’s supporting Penn State,” Kiedaisch said. “So that’s how the day started. But we’re set up and ready to go now.”
However, if Penn State took an early lead, Michael’s brother, Carl Kiedaisch, had a backup plan.
“We have Penn State shirts at halftime to put on in case it gets ugly,” Carl said.
Penn State led, 10-3, at halftime but vibes still were high on the main concourse for Temple fans as the band performed near the student section. Fans bobbed their heads, talked to friends, and cheered along as they prepared for the second half.
And as soon as the third quarter started, “[Expletive] Penn State,” chants erupted from the crowd.
The band put on a show at halftime.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
However, it was short-lived after Penn State scored another touchdown, putting them up, 17-3. From then on, Penn State ran away with the 27-9 win — leaving many Nittany Lions fans happy.
“I thought the stat line was pretty good all around,” said 22-year-old Penn State alumnus Colin Crissey. “It didn’t look pretty on the field, necessarily, but the numbers don’t lie, and they look pretty good. I thought Penn State somewhat sleepwalked in the first half. I don’t know if that’s the travel. I don’t know if that’s your first away game with a new coach or whatnot. Scoring right there at the end of the half really changed the mood.”
Meanwhile, Temple fans started to leave the stadium in the third quarter — leaving the student section fairly empty by the end of the game.
Reggie Jones played college football for three seasons.
But he didn’t actually play.
He was on Temple’s scout team, where his role was to help the guys who did play prepare each week for Saturday. He practiced all week and then watched the games last season from his apartment near campus.
Finally, he had enough.
Jones told his parents and girlfriend following last season that he was quitting. He let some teammates know. That was it.
“I would come home so sad because I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself,” Jones said. “Then one day, I was scrolling on TikTok, and I came across this walk-on basketball player named Brandon Dwyer from Florida Gulf Coast.”
Video: K.C. Keeler on where Temple football is headed in the future
Dwyer had gone viral on social media for documenting his life as a walk-on as he created a series of videos titled “The Road to One Point.” He made his first basket last November, just as Jones was deciding he was through being a walk-on. And the video inspired Jones to keep going.
“For a month straight, I would go to his page every day and just watch his videos,” Jones said. His story was exactly like mine. He was always a bench rider. He was about to quit, too. Watching these, I got the love back for football.”
Temple linebacker Reggie Jones says his persistence to stay with the Owls program was watching TikToks from a Florida-based basketball player going through a similar situation.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Jones stayed with the football team and started to document his “Road to One Tackle.” His first video in January picked up thousands of views, and his followers grew. He was on to something. But Jones knew he couldn’t make a tackle from the scout team. He had to get on the field.
“I told myself, ‘Reggie, this is your season. I don’t care what you do, but get off the scout team because you can’t be in the same boat for four years,’” said Jones, who has 174,000 followers on Instagram. “Every year, I was tired of it, but this year I was like, ‘This is my senior year. I can’t go out like this.’ That first padded practice, I was just trying to go through everyone because I had to show these coaches that I deserved to play.”
Jones quickly worked his way off the scout team this summer and then found his name on the team’s depth chart. He was a special teamer. Nine months after nearly quitting, Jones earned a spot on the team.
“You know when you have a lot on your chest, and it feels like something was taken off,” Jones said. “Like, I can finally breathe.”
Temple linebacker Reggie Jones (center) and cornerback Denzel Chavis cheer after last spring’s Cherry and White Spring Game at Edberg-Olson Hall.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Building a following
Jones attended Maryland’s DeMatha Catholic High and hoped to play college basketball. But he stopped growing as a high school junior.
“I wasn’t about to be a point guard,” said Jones, who is 6-foot-1.
Jones played football at DeMatha but didn’t take it seriously until his senior year. By then, it was too late to earn a college scholarship. Temple offered him a chance to walk on, which meant he would be on the hook for his tuition and had slim chances of seeing the field. Jones took it.
He came to Temple with 20,000 social media followers, building a following making silly videos during high school. A friend told Jones he should start making football videos. Soon, he started making some money and signed with an agent, who helped him connect with more sponsors. He wasn’t playing on the football team, but his videos were finding an audience.
“Of course I’m a walk-on on the team, but there’s a lot of walk-ons in life,” said Jones, who is on track to graduate in May with a degree in sports and entertainment management. “You know what I mean? Everyone is an underdog. I’ve been an underdog my entire life. For some reason, I always got put in the position where people looked down on me and I always made them eat their words. You have people who are looking for ways to get out of that funk and I think that’s why my story has resonated with so many people.”
His “Road to One Tackle” videos showed him practicing, lifting weights, and hitting the tackling sled. But Jones is a content creator so there was a video this summer of him dancing after practice, struggling to take his pads off, and purchasing a seltzer water that sponsors him. His videos – some of which have more than 100,000 views – are more than just football.
Video: K.C. Keeler is building Temple football around ‘love and trust’
“I can’t even look at Instagram and TikTok anymore like a normal person,” said Jones, who simply shoots his videos with his iPhone. “I’m constantly looking for ideas. Most of the time, I get my ideas from non-football-related ideas. I then connect them to football. I’ve learned from making content that you can’t go straight to football, football, football because they won’t resonate with everyone. Then I put a football twist on it.”
The first tackle
Jones called his girlfriend Gabby Linden last month after he learned he was going to play in Temple’s season opener. She started crying and told Jones to call his parents. They started screaming.
“My parents paid for school,” Jones said. “They saw me grind day in and day out to play college football and they were so excited.”
The Owls were well ahead on Saturday against Rhode Island when the team’s linebackers coach told Jones that he was going in. Jones said he was flooded with emotions. He almost quit football a season earlier and now he had a chance to make a tackle in an NCAA game. His girlfriend, who he met his first semester at Temple, was in the crowd. So were his parents.
“My heart dropped to my ankles,” Jones said. “This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.”
The first play was a handoff, Jones rushed to the line of scrimmage, and found the ball carrier. He did it. Jones pointed a finger to the sky and cried as his teammates roared from the sidelines. But there wasn’t much more time to celebrate. Rhode Island was in a hurry-up offense and Jones had to get ready for another play.
“I had to lock back in,” Jones said.
But that was OK. There was plenty of time afterwards for Jones to create content. He filmed the scene in the locker room as he danced with his teammates and had someone take a picture of him holding a piece of paper with “1” on it as a nod to Wilt Chamberlain after his 100-point game. It was a great moment. And it was also great content.
Temple linebacker Reggie Jones (center) and cornerback Denzel Chavis cheer after last spring’s Cherry and White Spring Game at Edberg-Olson Hall.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
“As soon as I took the picture, everyone jumped me at once,” Jones said. “It was so cool. I’m glad I was able to do that with my teammates. You know when someone in your family does something good and the whole family celebrates? It was just like that. A big family celebration because they knew how much work I put in and they were so proud that I actually did it.”
Villanova’s annual David-vs.-Goliath game did not go its way on Friday night.
The visiting Wildcats took on No. 24 Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium and kept it competitive for the first half. But the depth and physical size of the FBS foe wore them down in a 59-13 loss.
The Wildcats (1-2) were outplayed in almost every category. Louisville (1-1) outgained Villanova, 636-253, in total yardage and scored on all but three of its drives. The Cardinals held Villanova to 75 rushing yards and 178 passing yards.
Despite the loss, Villanova came away with positives for the rest of its FCS slate.
Here is the good, bad, and ugly of Villanova’s 2026 FBS game:
Limited the penalties, turnovers
Sometimes a team needs to take what it can get against an FBS opponent.
A big point of emphasis for Villanova was cleaning up its penalties. And against Louisville, it limited its penalties to just seven for 64 yards.
In its season-opening loss to William & Mary, Villanova committed 15 penalties for 107 yards, compared with five for 45 yards in last week’s win over Bucknell.
Villanova coach Mark Ferrante says that winning teams also win the turnover battle. The Wildcats on Friday gave up one turnover, a fourth-quarter fumble, after having zero vs. Bucknell and four against William & Mary.
McQuaide settling in
After a wild offseason, graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide is starting to communicate efficiently with his receivers, which is making Villanova’s offense more efficient.
McQuaide left Villanova at the end of last season, expecting to be done with collegiate football. He returned home to Ohio and landed a role as St. Ignatius High School’s quarterbacks coach. Then, he was granted another year of collegiate eligibility.
Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide’s eligibility has been a major storyline.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The abnormal offseason meant McQuaide was not with Villanova for spring practices and a majority of its summer offseason. McQuaide joined Villanova after its preseason started, missing a few practices.
“We didn’t have Pat at all in the spring or the summer, and we got him about halfway through camp,” sophomore receiver Braden Reed told The Inquirer before the Louisville game. “So it’s still just figuring out the timing, figuring everything out. But I think each week we’re improving and getting better, the more reps he gets and the more reps we get with him.”
McQuaide completed 18 of 31 passes for 166 yards, a touchdown — a 65-yard completion to Ja’briel Mace — and zero interceptions. It was McQuaide’s second consecutive interception-free game.
Louisville showed why there are levels to collegiate football.
While Villanova kept it close for most of the first half, Louisville’s depth finally showed as the game went on. Villanova was forced to punt on five consecutive drives, the last three of which were three-and-outs.
Louisville wide receiver Lawayne McCoy (7) looks back at the pursuit of Villanova defensive backs Jayvont Williams and Josh Oluremi on Friday.Timothy D. Easley
After three unanswered Louisville touchdowns in the second and third quarters, the Wildcats tacked on a 29-yard field goal by Dominic LeBlanc halfway through the third quarter for their lone second-half score.
Louisville played its backups for much of the fourth quarter and added a pair of touchdowns. The Wildcats also sat their starters for much of the final period.
Up next
Villanova will stay on the road for the third consecutive week. The Wildcats will return to FCS and Patriot League play against LIU (0-2) at noon on Saturday in Brookville, N.Y.
Villanova won the last meeting, 24-10, on Sept. 28, 2024, at Villanova Stadium.
Matt Campbell is familiar with Lincoln Financial Field. He has coached there twice, once as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 2004 and as Toledo’s offensive coordinator in 2011.
But it’s also the home stadium of his former Mount Union teammate and roommate, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. Campbell said he talked to Sirianni on Monday about playing at the Linc.
“Nick has been a great sounding board,” Campbell said Tuesday. “Obviously that relationship, that friendship, and having the ability to have somebody that’s kind of going through some of the same journeys has been huge.”
Campbell will face K.C. Keeler for the first time as head coaches when Penn State visits Temple on Saturday (noon, ESPN2). But the two coaches have crossed paths before. Keeler was the head coach of Division III Rowan and gave Campbell his only loss as a player at Mount Union in 1999.
The two in-state programs have played 45 times, with the Nittany Lions holding a 40-4-1 advantage. They last met in 2016, a 34-27 win for Penn State at Beaver Stadium.
“It’s the Super Bowl for Temple,” Penn State defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said Tuesday. “We have to have that mindset when we go in there.”
Here’s how both teams stack up against each other:
The running game struggled, with starter Carson Hansen carrying the ball 11 times for 48 yards. Penn State averaged just 3.6 rushing yards in the game.
Penn State wideout Koby Howard (right) had a breakout game against Marshall last week.Barry Reeger
Quarterback Rocco Becht and his wide receivers made up for the run game struggles. Starting wide receivers Koby Howard, Brett Eskildsen, and Chase Sowell all present different threats for Temple’s secondary.
Howard excels after the catch, while Eskildsen is the fastest player on offense. Sowell, meanwhile, is the more physical wideout. All three had a catch of at least a 20 yards against Marshall.
Temple safeties Saboor Karriem and Kolin Dinkins and cornerbacks Denzel Chavis and Asa Locks, the secondary starters last week, may have their hands full disrupting the Nittany Lions’ passing game. The Owls’ defense, however, did account for three turnovers in the opener, which included two pick-sixes and a fumble recovery.
Temple’s offense vs. Penn State’s defense
Lynn’s first game as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater resulted in a shutout, allowing the Thundering Herd just 147 total yards. Lynn said Tuesday they kept the play-calling simple as the defense masters the “core concepts” before adding new things to the game plan throughout the year.
Temple’s offensive linemen also has taken a hit with injuries. Giakoby Hills and Luke Watson are confirmed out. Kevin Terry and Eric King arequestionable for Saturday’s game. It will be even more of a challenge to contain Penn State’s defensive line, who held Marshall to just 44 rushing yards last week.
“Got Penn State coming up, obviously it’s a big deal,” Keeler said. “I mean, they have all the Big Ten prototypical numbers — 6-foot-5, 6-foot-4, 310 [pounds], 330. [They are] long and athletic.”
The injury report doesn’t bode well for Temple running back Keveun Mason, who stepped in for the banged up Sam Brown and exploded for a career-high 158 rushing yards against Rhode Island. Brown’s availability is still up in the air for this weekend.
Temple’s trio of wide receivers, Colin Chase, JoJo Bermudez, and Jayce Freeman, remain a strong suit for the offense. Though Temple didn’t throw the ball much against Rhode Island, Chase and Bermudez were productive in their limited opportunities. Freeman caught the Owls’ lone passing touchdown in his team debut.
Another priority for Penn State will be Temple tight end Peter Clarke, despite his quiet season opener. Clarke had a career year in 2025 and earned second-team American Conference honors.
The Nittany Lions’ secondary was a key reason Marshall was held off the scoreboard, highlighted by cornerback Josiah Zayas, who became the first freshman defensive player to start a season opener for Penn State since John Reid in 2015.
Former Penn State QB Jaxon Smolik (left) got the start for Temple last week.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Connections
Penn State had 50 players enter the transfer portal last December after its head coaching change. Four ended up at Temple: redshirt sophomore quarterback Jaxon Smolik, fifth-year defensive tackle Kaleb Artis, redshirt junior tight end Joey Schlaffer, and Dinkins, a fifth-year player.
Each played in the Owls opening win over Rhode Island, with Dinkins and Smolik starting. Dinkins had three tackles and his first career pass breakup.
Smolik, meanwhile, is in a quarterback battle. Both Smolik and Ajani Sheppard played in Week 1, and that’s not expected to change this weekend.
“No one took charge,” Keeler said after Temple’s victory over Rhode Island. “I mean, we’ll watch the tape, we’ll see how they each played. Ideally, we’d prefer not to play two equally, but we’re not going to live by any sort of, like, creed. Basically, we’re going to play whoever can help us win.”
Schlaffer and Artis didn’t log a stat in their first game with the Owls.
“I think both sides are just worrying about their team that they’re on right now,” Penn State offensive lineman Cooper Cousins said Tuesday. “Obviously have good relationships with all former players that have been here, in the program, outside of the program, but I think we’re all just kind of worried about our teams that we’re on right now.”
Villanova football is facing off against its annual FBS opponent tonight in a road matchup against Louisville.
After beginning the season ranked No. 7 in the FCS preseason coaches’ poll, the Wildcats have slipped to No. 18 over the last two weeks. And their FBS matchup at Louisville comes during a time when Villanova is trying to clean up all three phases of its game.
However, the Wildcats are looking to carry the momentum from their 17-16 win over Bucknell last week, which marked the team’s first victory in the Patriot League, to try to take down a Louisville program (7 p.m., ESPN/ACCN) that is ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and lost, 41-38, to No. 9 Ole Miss on Sunday.
“We don’t talk a whole lot about it, to be honest,” said head coach Mark Ferrante when asked about playing an FBS opponent. “Nameless, faceless opponent. It’s not who we’re playing, it’s how we’re playing.”
Since the season-opening loss to William & Mary, Ferrante and his staff believe both sides of the ball cleaned up their penalties. The Wildcats had five penalties for 45 yards last week, compared to 15 for 107 yards in Week 1. They also didn’t turn the ball over.
As graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide becomes more comfortable with his receivers, Villanova’s offense is starting to show glimpses of what it was projected to be this offseason.
“Pat wasn’t here in the spring, wasn’t here in the summer, missed the first couple days of preseason practice, and then was able to rejoin the team based on all the stuff that transpired behind that,” Ferrante said. “I’m hoping that, again, Week 1 to Week 2, Week 2 to Week 3, and just keep progressing through the season, it’ll just be sharper, there’ll be better timing, there’ll be more understanding of each other.”
Against Bucknell, McQuaide had a couple of open looks that could have resulted in large plays or deep touchdowns, but he either overthrew or missed his receiver in stride.
Villanova football slides down to No. 18 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
“There were a few near misses last week where if he hits that one in stride, that might have been a touchdown,” Ferrante said. “ … Hopefully, with added reps, added practice, and more games on our belt, will tie them up better down the road.”
Villanova held on to its win against Bucknell thanks to linebacker Garrett Rogan’s blocked field goal at the end of the game, which would have put Bucknell up by two points. The fifth-year defensive back was one of Villanova’s preferred walk-ons at safety in 2022 and made the transition to linebacker this offseason.
Ferrante emphasized how important special teams is due to how many games are decided by a field goal. Villanova’s season opener was, and so was Louisville’s.
“Our two games, plus Louisville’s first game, plus SMU and Florida State’s first game all came down to field goals or field-goal attempts,” Ferrante said. “That goes to show you how important special teams can be.”
Villanova knows there is always room for improvement, even when it’s playing at its highest potential. That starts with Ferrante, then his staff, and finally the players.
Sophomore linebacker Omari Bursey is one of Villanova’s players who has grasped that concept early in his collegiate career. This offseason, Bursey was given the green dot on the back of his helmet, signifying that he communicates with the coaching staff and the defense while on the field.
Last week, he was named the FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after recording 14 total tackles against Bucknell.
Villanova LB Omari Bursey was named the FCS National Defensive Player of the Week. https://t.co/jBUiYG5LFK
“It’s honestly just a testament to this unit as a whole,” Bursey said of receiving the honor. “One of the biggest things I didn’t get to talk about last week is playing off of my nose guard, and we were able to show that this past week against Bucknell. [We] play so well off each other. It just allowed me to have a few more tackles than the rest of the guys.”
Ferrante said he has shepherd a team-effort mindset during his nine seasons as head coach. It’s an approach that’ll remain against Louisville, he said.
“From my perspective, from the head coach’s perspective, and that hopefully trickles down through their assistants, I approach every week the same,” Ferrante said. “I approach every season the same. People ask me that all the time, ‘So what do you think about this year?’ Well, one year to the next is never going to be the same.
“I enter every season, every game the same way, cautiously optimistic. I always feel if we play our brand of football and we play clean and we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot, and we’re not our worst enemy, we’re not the opponent, then I don’t care who we’re playing. I think we can go out there and compete with anybody.”
