Villanova No. 2 seed for Division I-AA playoffs

Villanova received the second seed yesterday for the 16-team NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

The Wildcats (10-1) hoped to be the No. 1 seed overall, but that went to Montana. Still, Villanova will have home-field advantage through the semifinals.

The Colonial Athletic Association cochampion Wildcats drew Patriot League champion Holy Cross (9-2) in Saturday's first-rounder at Villanova Stadium.

The NCAA championship will be played Dec. 18 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"No. 2 and No. 1 are kind of interchangeable in the playoffs, being on the opposite side of the bracket," Wildcats quarterback Chris Whitney said. "So we are excited to be at home ... and to have Holy Cross play here."

Lurking in the next round is a possible rematch with New Hampshire (9-2).

New Hampshire is the only team to defeat the Wildcats this season, winning by 28-24 on Oct. 10 in Durham, N.H.

"We have some scores to settled there," Villanova coach Andy Talley said of a potential rematch.

The Wildcats must first focus on Holy Cross and its all-American quarterback Dominic Randolph (3,429 passing yards and 31 touchdowns). The Crusaders are coached by former Penn all-American Tom Gilmore.