Game Statistics

VILLANOVA, PA. – Senior tailback Brian Westbrook lit up Villanova Stadium before the real stuff stopped the Villanova-Colgate game with 10:37 remaining in the fourth quarter with the Wildcats leading 38-14.

With severe lightning in the stadium area, game officials ordered both teams to their lockerrooms.  After a 51-minute delay the game was called off after a meeting with the head coaches and athletic directors.

Westbrook, a top candidate for the Walter Payton Award as the top player in Division I-AA, jump started his chances with a five touchdown performance before an opening night crowd of 10,971.  He rushed 13 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns; caught eight passes for 75 yards and one TD; and returned two kickoffs for 116 yards and one TD before coming out of the game near the end of the third quarter.

The game was a costly affair for the Raiders who lost three starters with injuries.  Starting fullback Justin Polk sprained his ankle on Colgate’s opening possession, and then senior strong safety Phil Bowman went down with a pulled hamstring in the second quarter.

Late in the third quarter, junior quarterback Tom McCune suffered a separated shoulder sending him to the sideline for two to three weeks.

The Wildcats took the opening kickoff and marched into Colgate territory highlighted by Westbrook’s 36-yard run off right tackle to the Raider seven-yard line.  Colgate defense held tough forcing Villanova to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Casey Hannon with 10:56 remaining in the opening period.

Colgate answered the Wildcats taking their first possession for a touchdown on a 13-play, 76-yard drive for a 7-3 lead.  The Raiders got things started with a six-yard pass play from McCune to Joe Parker.  With the catch, Parker moved into 10^th on Colgate’s all-time receiving yardage list.  Later in the drive, McCune connected on a 21-yard strike to sophomore tight end John Frieser to the Villanova 34.  Faced with a fourth-and-four at the opponent’s 28-yard line, McCune ran for five yards to keep the drive alive with a first down.  Three plays later, McCune went to the air this time hitting junior Jamal Lamb with a 20-yarder to the two-yard line.   On the next play, sophomore Matt Kobelski crashed over the left side for his first collegiate TD on his first collegiate carry.  Freshman placekicker Lane Schwarzberg added the extra point.

 Deja’vu.  In 1997, Colgate had its hopes for a win over top-seeded Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA dashed by two key kickoff returns by Westbrook.  The 5-9, 205-pound tailback from Fort Washington, Maryland again stuck a dagger into the Raiders, when he took the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for the NCAA tying fifth kickoff return for a TD – the longest of his career.

The turning point in the game came during the second quarter, right after the Raiders had stopped Villanova following a missed 43-yard field goal attempt.  Colgate was faced with fourth-and-two at its own 34-yard line.  The Raiders attempted a fake punt with Rob Markert passing to punter Brendon Biddle in the flat, but Biddle was stopped six yards behind the line of scrimmage on a tackle by Brian Porden.

Four consecutive rushes by Westbrook, with the final one covering one yard, gave Villanova a 17-7 lead.  Taking advantage of the short punt by Colgate on its next possession, the Wildcats struck lightning again, when Westbrook broke 55 yards for a TD putting Villanova ahead 24-7 with 4:52 remaining in the first half.  They scored once more in the first half on a 13-yard pass play from Brett Gordon to Westbrook with 29 seconds remaining for a 31-7 halftime lead.

Westbrook added his fifth consecutive touchdown on a two-yard run in the third quarter before Colgate put together a 10-play, 72-yard scoring drive for its second touchdown.  During the drive McCune suffered his separated shoulder giving way to his backup Markert.  Markert entered the contest with Colgate facing first-and-10 on the Villanova 22.  On the first play, he connected with Lamb on a 20-yard pass play to the three-yard line.  After a loss of three on a running play, Markert found Parker on a slant play in the end zone for a touchdown.  It was Parker’s 10^th career TD reception making him the sixth player in school history to grab 10 or more touchdown passes in a career.

Then with Villanova on the Colgate 11-yard line with 10:31 remaining in the fourth quarter the game was called by officials after the lengthy delay.