Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

The challenge facing the University of New Hampshire football team this weekend?

The Wildcats will have to beat the best team they've played this season -- and they'll have to beat that team on the road. At least that's how UNH coach Sean McDonnell sized up the situation when he was asked about Saturday's game at Villanova.

"We're playing one of the best teams in the country right now," McDonnell said. "Probably the best all-around team that we have faced. Defensively they're tremendous. Offensively they're right around 400 yards a game. They can do it running. They can do it passing.

"This team has not one, but two good quarterbacks, two good running backs, three or four good receivers and a talented offensive line. We've talked about their defense. They can kick field goals pretty well too."

Ninth-ranked UNH, which is 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Colonial Atheltic Association, will be trying to improve its road record to 5-0. Sixth-ranked Villanova is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference.

Saturday's game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m., and can be seen on CN8.

"We're gonna have our hands full this week with the run game," McDonnell said. "To win this football game we're gonna have to stop the run, and that's what we've been concentrating on on defense this year.

"You look forward to playing games like this because you find out how good you really are. Hopefully we go down there and play the game we're capable of, but this is a real good Villanova team we're playing."

It's good to be home

Although some coaches avoid talking about any opponent but the next one, Villanova's Andy Talley took a big-picture approach this week. Talley said his Wildcats are focused on gaining home-field advantage for the postseason.

"For Villanova, we're trying to get to the magic number of eight (wins) and if you're fortunate enough to get to the magic number of nine, potentially you could be a top four seed," Talley said. "Playing at home in the playoffs, as we all know, is paramount. It's critical. And so it's something that we are striving for.

"The ramifications of this game, for us, our tremendous."

In the running?

McDonnell sounded hopeful that junior running back Chad Kackert could return to active duty soon, perhaps as early as this week.

Kackert suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of UNH's 38-34 loss to William & Mary. He's run for 355 yards in four games (41 carries) this season.

"Still hasn't been cleared," McDonnell said. "We're hoping. We're hoping. Kackert is our most explosive (back). He's a return guy. He adds another dimension to our team.

"Doctors are still leery with his shoulder. We'll know more as the week goes on, but right now he's not cleared."

Kackert had arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this season.