Here are three things to watch on Saturday when No. 5 Villanova takes on CAA foe Maine

Midway through the regular season, Villanova, ranked No. 5 nationally in FCS, found the confidence boost that it needed going into last weekend’s bye.

In a 42-24 win over Stony Brook two weeks ago, the Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 Coastal Athletic Association) had their strongest offensive showing in their last game, fueled largely by freshman running back David Avit (four touchdowns).

Now, Villanova hits the road to face Maine (3-3, 1-2 CAA) on Saturday (1 p.m., FloFootball). The goal? Keep its unbeaten conference record intact. The Wildcats currently are tied with Rhode Island for second in the CAA, while Maine is 11th.

The Wildcats have had plenty of extra time to prepare for the Black Bears, as the bye week coincided with Villanova’s weeklong fall break.

Avit and redshirt freshman running back Isaiah Ragland are the sources of Villanova’s threatening run game.

Avit took charge with Ragland out with an injury against Stony Brook. His four touchdowns and 183 rushing yards on 13 carries earned him national attention as FCS Freshman of the Week. Now with 458 yards on 61 carries, Avit surpassed Ragland as Villanova’s leader in rushing.

Meanwhile, working with an almost entirely new set of wide receivers has continued to be a challenge for graduate quarterback Connor Watkins. Watkins is averaging 139.8 passing yards and 43.2 rushing yards per game.

“Timing is still a work in progress, offensively,” Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said.

Junior Jaylan Sanchez is the lone returner among Villanova’s starting wide receivers. Graduate transfer Devin Smith leads the team in receiving with 242 total yards and three touchdowns. Sanchez is second with 196 total receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Against Stony Brook, Watkins successfully used more of his passing options aside from the dependable duo of Sanchez and Smith. Graduate Lucas Kopecky — who joined the roster after four years playing lacrosse for Villanova — scored his first career touchdown on a 26-yard pass, his only reception of the game.

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Winning the turnover battle has been pivotal for Villanova, which has allowed 13.4 points per game against FCS teams and has forced 10 turnovers.

Watkins has not committed a turnover.

Ferrante noted that redshirt junior linebacker Shane Hartzell is currently the youngest starting defensive player. Hartzell was one of three linebackers to reach double-digits in tackles against Stony Brook, along with graduate Brendan Bell and senior Richie Kimmel.

“We’re hoping to play an error-free game while still working on timing on offense and stopping the run on defense,” Ferrante said.

Villanova last traveled to Maine on Oct. 1, 2022, returning to the Main Line after a 45—20 win.

Maine comes off a 44—21 loss last week to Delaware (6—0, 3—0 CAA), which is ranked first in the conference and set to become an FBS program in 2025. The Black Bears are led by new graduate quarterback Carter Peevy, a transfer from Mercer, who averages 189.8 passing yards and 11.3 rushing yards.

Following Saturday’s game, the Wildcats close out October by welcoming CAA foe New Hampshire to Villanova Stadium on Oct. 26 (3:30 p.m., FloFootball).

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