Plenty at stake for Villanova in Delaware game

WHATEVER happens tomorrow at Delaware, Villanova will be in the FCS playoffs. If they win, the Wildcats are going there on their own terms. If not, they'd only be making things a lot more difficult on themselves.

In 2009, they got to play three home games en route to the national-title game. They might not have won the semifinal had it been at William & Mary. In 2010, they had to go on the road, where they won twice against the top-ranked team before finally losing a close one at eventual champion Eastern Washington, which was also No. 1.

So there is a difference.

"I basically told our kids that rarely in life do any of us have the opportunity to control our own destiny," coach Andy Talleysaid. "If we lose, we'll probably get bounced around [by the selection committee]. God knows where they'd send us."

The nation's No. 6 team can avoid that by getting to 10-2 (and 7-1 in the CAA). One of the losses was at FBS Syracuse in double-overtime. The other was by one at Richmond. There's still a chance the Wildcats could tie for the conference title and maybe even get the automatic bid rather than an at-large. But that would involve Maine (5-5, 4-3) winning at top-ranked New Hampshire (9-1, 7-0) and then having William & Mary (7-4, 4-3) beat Richmond (7-4, 4-3) at home.

Regardless of what does or doesn't happen elsewhere, a Wildcats win would virtually guarantee an opening bye and at least one home game after that. Possibly even two.

Villanova has won seven of the last eight against the Blue Hens (6-5, 4-3), who are coming off a 29-point loss at New Hampshire. The Wildcats have taken the last four in Newark. Three years ago, they lost by 10 in Chester to finish 2-9. Last November, they scored the final 23 points in the closing 8 minutes to win by one on a 24-yard field goal at the buzzer, also at PPL Park.

"We like playing at Delaware, just because of the atmosphere," Talley said. "Frankly, it's not something we get at Villanova. When they play in that environment, I think it geeks our kids up a little bit. It's a very spirited game, which is an understatement. Very spirited. I think we bring out the best in them, and they bring out the best in us.

"It's our rival. It's always been a hot-tub game for us. It's their senior day. We've been there before. It's a very difficult situation . . . I think what's taken away from it a little bit is the competitiveness in the CAA. There's so much parity that every team is capable of knocking you out. Delaware's just another one."

And the last one. And, right now, the most important one, in trying to get where they really want to go.