Nov. 22, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - After earning their first playoff berth as a Patriot League member, and first overall since 1983, No. 17 Holy Cross will face a foe that League squads have matched up with often in the postseason when it visits No. 2 Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday.

In addition to being the No. 2 team in the country, Villanova earns the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The winner of the Holy Cross/Villanova game will face the winner of the New Hamphsire/McNeese State matchup in the second round.

Holy Cross (9-2, 5-1 Patriot League) was not able to complete a perfect League season on Saturday, as the Crusaders had their five-game winning streak come to an end with a 23-17 loss at Bucknell. The Crusaders did clinch the outright League title with Lafayette's loss at Lehigh, and all six of Holy Cross' League crowns are of the solo variety. The Crusaders clinched the League title and automatic playoff bid when they beat Lafayette, 28-26, in Worcester on Nov. 14. The Crusaders earned their first League title since 1991.

In their only previous FCS postseason appearance, the Crusaders suffered a 28-21 home loss to Western Carolina on Dec. 3, 1983. Villanova leads the all-time series with Holy Cross, 12-9, though the teams have not faced off since Holy Cross scored a 38-17 victory at home in the season opener in 1989.

It is the second straight season that the Patriot League champion has been sent to Villanova for the first round. Last year, Colgate fell behind, 41-7, at halftime and lost to the Wildcats, 55-28, at Villanova Stadium. Patriot League teams are 0-3 all-time against Villanova in the postseason. Fordham lost at Villanova, 24-10, in the quarterfinals in 2002, while Colgate also fell to the Wildcats, 49-28, in the first playoff game for a Patriot League team in 1997. The Wildcats now match Massachusetts as the most-played opponent for Patriot League teams in the postseason with the fourth meeting.

Patriot League teams have a 7-16 all-time record in the postseason, and a 5-11 mark in first-round action. Saturday's game will add another chapter in the long playoff history against the Colonial Athletic Association. The Patriot League has a 4-12 record against CAA teams, and has faced at least one CAA opponent in every season since first entering the playoffs in 1997. The League's success against the CAA has all come in the first round, with a 4-8 all-time record in opening matchups.

Villanova (10-1, 7-1 CAA) earned the CAA's automatic berth to the postseason, and makes the field for the second year in a row. The Wildcats only loss this season was by a 28-24 score at New Hampshire, and they own road victories over FBS opponent Temple and then No. 1 Richmond. Villanova has won five straight games entering the postseason. The Wildcats also defeated Lehigh at home on Sept. 12 this season.

Holy Cross' half of the bracket also includes Eastern Illinois playing at No. 3 Southern Illinois and Weber State heading to William & Mary. The top half of the bracket features South Dakota State at No. 1 overall seed Montana, Eastern Washington at Stephen F. Austin, Elon at No. 4 Richmond, and South Carolina State at Appalachian State.

For the full release and bracket from the NCAA, click here