McQuaide, Ragland help Villanova trample Harvard 52-7 in first-round FCS playoff game

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Pat McQuaide threw for three touchdowns and Isaiah Ragland ran for 152 yards and sixth-ranked Villanova overwhelmed No. 19 Harvard 52-7 on Saturday in a first round game of the FCS playoffs.

Villanova (10-2), who entered the playoffs as a 12 seed, will travel to play third-ranked Lehigh (12-0) on Dec. 6. The Mountain Hawks are seeded fifth.

The Wildcats took the opening drive 75 yards in seven plays and ended with a 45-yard touchdown by Ragland, who reached halftime with 128 yards rushing on 10 carries. He carried it 17 times on the day.

After Villanova’s defense held the Crimson to four yards in five plays to force a punt, McQuaide threw a 30-yard scoring pass to Lucas Kopecky for a 14-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Jack Barnum kicked a 29-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead, McQuaide ran it in from the 10 near the midway point of the quarter and Ja’Briel Mace crashed in the five at the two-minute warning for a 31-0 lead.

McQuaide threw second-half touchdowns of 29 yards to Luke Colella and 8 yards to Antonio Johnson.

The Crimson scored its first post-season touchdown in 105 years when Jaden Craig threw a 6-yard touchdown to Jordan Harris to reduce the deficit to 31-7.

Harvard was making its first post-season appearance since the 1919 season when it beat Oregon, 7-6 on New Year’s Day in the 1920 Rose Bowl.

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