The Villanova Wildcats have been called overachievers all season long, but yesterday they simply achieved.
With their hopes for a playoff berth hanging in the balance, the Wildcats took the fight straight to the University of Massachusetts and came away with a 29-26 victory at Villanova Stadium.
Trailing, 26-21, with 6 minutes, 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Villanova took possession of the ball 78 yards away from victory.
"I said 'One drive, the whole season,' " Villanova quarterback Kirk Schulz said. "Here we go."
And they went.
Schulz completed five passes to drive Villanova down the field, with the final one going for a 21-yard touchdown to Robert Brady. Following the go- ahead score with 4:15 remaining, Schulz hit running back Pat Kennedy for a two-point conversion.
Villanova improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the league, but with New Hampshire and Connecticut winning yesterday, the Yankee Conference race remains a four-way logjam.
"What has to happen next week is for us to win," Villanova coach Andy Talley said of the Wildcats' season finale against Boston University. "We control our own destiny."
Maine leads the conference with a 6-2 record, with Connecticut, Villanova and UNH all at 5-2.
A Villanova victory Saturday coupled with a New Hampshire loss to Massachusetts would virtually assure the Wildcats of an at-large berth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
If UNH and Villanova both win, the Wildcats will have to hope that the tournament selection committee decides to take two at-large teams from the Yankee Conference.
Maine would represent the conference in postseason play in any event.
Talley, happy to still be in the hunt, said the tough victory over the defending conference champions yesterday was satisfying.
"We turned the ball over and kept the game close," said Talley. "We came out and stumbled in the third period, which put us in great jeopardy. But we came through with the offense in the fourth quarter."
Massachusetts quarterback Gary Wilkos, running out of the triple option, had ravaged the Wildcats' defense in the first three quarters. He ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries and passed for 146 yards.
Wilkos put the Minutemen ahead, 14-0, with runs of 14 and 5 yards in the first quarter and came back to put them ahead again, 26-21, on a 1-yard run with 4:05 left in the third period.
