Villanova Readies For Saturday Match-Up With Struggling Rhode Island
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Villanova Wildcats continue to roll here in 2014.
This past weekend Villanova traveled up to Orono to take on Maine in CAA action. The Wildcats came home with a 41-20 win and, as a result, they remain ranked as high as #5 in the country in FCS.
Villanova's lead against the Black Bears was only 14-13 late in the second quarter, but the Wildcats took control from there in improving to 4-1 (2-0 in the CAA).
"We were challenged in the first half, obviously," Villanova head coach Andy Talley tells KYW Newsradio. "Maine came out and played a great game. We just had to put the accelerator down. It's a tough road up there and we played very, very well in the second half."
This marked the fourth straight game that Villanova topped the 40 point plateau as quarterback John Robertson once again held court. The junior threw four touchdown passes and was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season.
On defense, the Wildcats got a huge game out of linebacker Don Cherry. The junior finished with 12 tackles, including 3 1/2 for loss and 3 sacks. He also forced a fumble. For his trouble, Cherry was named the CAA's Defensive Player of the Week and the FCS Co-Defensive Player of the Week
"Don Cherry has been a starter since his freshman year, he's a junior now," Talley says, "and he is one of the great young men. He is apple pie and coffee, he is what it's all about. He does it right in the classroom, on the football field. He is a serious, serious individual, for sure."
Rhode Island will bring an 0-5 record into Saturday's game. Last week they lost to Brown of the Ivy League, 20-13.
"They have a bunch of junior college transfers and D-1 transfers and they just haven't played together yet as a team," Talley says. "They played very well in the first half against Marshall (in their season opener), so I think this is going to be a team that will be up. Jimmy Fleming, my former defensive coordinator, is the new head coach there. So we expect a tough game."
Last year the Wildcats thumped the Rams, 45-0, up in Kingston.
Saturday's game at Villanova Stadium kicks off at 1:00pm.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
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