Villanova draws Harvard in first round of FCS playoffs

FCS playoff history will come through Radnor on Saturday.

Villanova will host Harvard in the first round of the Division I Football Championship. It’s the first year that the Ivy League is participating in the tournament. Harvard lost on Saturday to Yale, 45-28, its first loss of the season. The two teams split the Ivy League title, with Yale getting the automatic playoff spot. Harvard is an at-large selection.

Villanova (9-2) earned the No. 12 seed and will host the Crimson. It’s the first time the two programs have played.

Villanova has won 22 consecutive games at Villanova Stadium and eight straight overall. The latter is the program’s longest winning streak in 16 years.

This is the third straight year Villanova has made the NCAA tournament and 17th time overall. It has won its first-round game each of the last two years, defeating Eastern Kentucky last season and Youngstown State in 2023.

The winner travels to No. 5 seed Lehigh on Dec. 6.

CAA champion Rhode Island drew the No. 9 seed. It will host Central Connecticut State on Saturday. Yale earned a second Ivy League bid, getting a trip to No. 15 Youngstown State.