2017 Villanova Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
| mode = football
| year = 2017
| team=Villanova Wildcats
| image=Villanova Wildcats logo.svg
| image_size= 150
| conference= Colonial Athletic Association
| division=
| short_conf= CAA
| STATSRank =
| FCSCoachRank =
| record = 5–6
| conf_record = 3–5
| head_coach= Mark Ferrante
| hc_year = 1st
| off_coach=Sam Venuto
| oc_year = 19th
| def_coach=Joe Trainer
| dc_year = 1st
| off_scheme=
| def_scheme=
| stadium= Villanova Stadium
| champion =
| bowl =
| bowl_result =
}}
{{2017 CAA football standings}}
The 2017 Villanova Wildcats football team represented Villanova University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Mark Ferrante and played their home games at Villanova Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 5–6, 3–5 in CAA play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2017
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = STATS
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 2
| time = 12:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = Lehigh
| opprank = 17
| site_stadium = Goodman Stadium
| site_cityst = Bethlehem, PA
| tv = SE2
| score = 38–35
| attend = 5,816
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 9
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 6
| opponent = Temple
| site_stadium = Lincoln Financial Field
| site_cityst = Philadelphia, PA
| gamename = Mayor's Cup
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 13–16
| attend = 35,117
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 7
| opponent = Lafayette
| site_stadium = Villanova Stadium
| site_cityst = Villanova, PA
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 59–0
| attend = 9,671
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 23
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 7
| opponent = Albany
| site_stadium = Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium
| site_cityst = Albany, NY
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 10–19
| overtime = OT
| attend = 6,866
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = Towson
| site_stadium = Johnny Unitas Stadium
| site_cityst = Towson, MD
| tv = {{abbr|TSN|Towson Sports Network}}
| score = 24–9
| attend = 5,017
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank = 12
| opponent = Maine
| site_stadium = Villanova Stadium
| site_cityst = Villanova, PA
| tv = {{abbr|CSL|College Sports Live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.caasports.com/news/2017/8/18/football-caa-partners-with-cbs-sports-digital.aspx|title=CAA Partners With CBS Spots Digital|publisher=Colonial Athletic Association|last=Washburn|first=Rob|date=August 18, 2017|access-date=August 22, 2017}}
| score = 31–0
| attend = 4,505
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 14
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 11
| opponent = James Madison
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Bridgeforth Stadium
| site_cityst = Harrisonburg, VA
| gamename = College GameDay
| score = 8–30
| attend = 25,993
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| homecoming = y
| rank = 13
| opponent = Elon
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Villanova Stadium
| site_cityst = Villanova, PA
| tv = {{abbr|NNAA|Nova Nation All-Access}}
| score = 14–19
| attend = 5,451
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 4
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| rank = 20
| opponent = Richmond
| site_stadium = Villanova Stadium
| site_cityst = Villanova, PA
| tv = NNAA
| score = 0–22
| attend = 3,508
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| time = 12:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Rhode Island
| site_stadium = Meade Stadium
| site_cityst = Kingston, RI
| tv = CSL
| score = 6–20
| attend = 2,877
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 18
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Delaware
| gamename = Battle of the Blue
| site_stadium = Villanova Stadium
| site_cityst = Villanova, PA
| tv = NNAA
| score = 28–7
| attend = 5,109
}}
}}
Game summaries
=At Lehigh=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 10 Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=21
|R3=7
|R4=3
|Home=No. 17 Mountain Hawks
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=14
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Temple=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 6 Wildcats
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=3
|R4=10
|Home=Owls
|H1=3
|H2=7
|H3=3
|H4=3
}}
{{see also|2017 Temple Owls football team|Mayor's Cup (Temple-Villanova)}}
{{Clear}}
=Lafayette=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Leopards
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=No. 7 Wildcats
|H1=13
|H2=36
|H3=7
|H4=3
}}
{{see also|2017 Lafayette Leopards football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Albany=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 7 Wildcats
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=10
|R5=0
|Home=Great Danes
|H1=0
|H2=3
|H3=0
|H4=7
|H5=9
}}
{{see also|2017 Albany Great Danes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Towson=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 14 Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=3
|R4=14
|Home=Tigers
|H1=0
|H2=6
|H3=4
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Towson Tigers football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Maine=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Black Bears
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=No. 12 Wildcats
|H1=7
|H2=14
|H3= 7
|H4=3
}}
{{see also|2017 Maine Black Bears football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At James Madison=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 11 Wildcats
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=8
|Home=No. 1 Dukes
|H1=3
|H2=10
|H3=3
|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2017 James Madison Dukes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Elon=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 10 Phoenix
|R1=0
|R2=7
|R3=3
|R4=9
|Home=No. 13 Wildcats
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=7
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Elon Phoenix football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Richmond=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Spiders
|R1=3
|R2=5
|R3=14
|R4=0
|Home=No. 20 Wildcats
|H1=0
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Richmond Spiders football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Rhode Island=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Wildcats
|R1=3
|R2=0
|R3=3
|R4=0
|Home=Rams
|H1=3
|H2=7
|H3=10
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Rhode Island Rams football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Delaware=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Fightin' Blue Hens
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home=Wildcats
|H1=14
|H2=0
|H3=14
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team}}
{{Clear}}
Ranking movements
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = STATS FCS
| poll1firstweek = 0
| poll1lastweek = 13
| poll1_0=10
| poll1_1=6
| poll1_2=7
| poll1_3=7
| poll1_4=14
| poll1_5=12
| poll1_6=11
| poll1_7=15
| poll1_8=13
| poll1_9=20
| poll1_10=RV
| poll1_11=NR
| poll1_12=NR
| poll1_13=NR
| poll1_14=
| poll1_15=
| poll1_16=
| poll1_17=
| poll1_18=
| poll1_19=
| poll1_20=
| poll2title = Coaches
| poll2firstweek = 0
| poll2lastweek = 13
| poll2_0=9
| poll2_1=8
| poll2_2=8
| poll2_3=8
| poll2_4=17
| poll2_5=15
| poll2_6=14
| poll2_7=16
| poll2_8=15
| poll2_9=20
| poll2_10=RV
| poll2_11=NR
| poll2_12=NR
| poll2_13=NR
| poll2_14=
| poll2_15=
| poll2_16=
| poll2_17=
| poll2_18=
| poll2_19=
| poll2_20=
}}