Georgetown Football

Commentary: The Third Man

 6/6/25

The worst kept secret in FCS football is a secret no more.

In a matter of a little more than 13 months, the conference where time stood still has added three nationally prominent programs, including two former national champions, and positioned the Patriot League as the most interesting conference in FCS football. The addition Thursday of Villanova, the third jewel in the PL's triple crown of expansion candidates, is stunning in its impact, and remarkable that the stars aligned as they did.

For forty years, Villanova was the school that wanted nothing to do with the PL, and did its part to steer clear of the Last Amateurs while they were still amateur. The Andy Talley era positioned Villanova as the school which took I-AA and FCS football seriously, something to which Patriot schools were not altogether seen in such company. Yet, much like their fellow CAA stable mates in Richmond and William & Mary, the ground had changed underneath them, and the Patriot had changed to offer them a competitive home where one was fraying around them in the CAA.

What does this mean for Villanova? And what does it mean for Georgetown?

More at the Third Rail blog.

Villanova Joining PL Football

 6/5/25

In another tectonic shift for Eastern college football, Villanova University will join Patriot League football in 2026.

The third expansion announcement for the league in less than 13 months, the Wildcats will join in the 2026 season. Prior to 2024, no team had announced a move to the the PL since Georgetown in 2000 for the 2001 season.

"Villanova looks forward to joining the Patriot League next season as an associate member, aligning with institutions that uphold an unwavering commitment to academic and athletic distinction and the holistic development of student-athletes," said Villanova president Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA. "This League embodies the finest principles of collegiate athletics, where achievement on the field is matched by excellence in the classroom. We are proud to align with such esteemed institutions, forging a new chapter for Villanova Football."

"We are excited to join a conference where the member institutions share similar values, both athletically and academically," said Villanova coach Mark Ferrante. "The geographic alignment makes sense for our program and our student-athletes, and we believe this move will foster strong regional rivalries while maintaining our commitment to excellence on and off the field. It's a natural fit that positions us well for the future."

In the release, the PL has committed to a full nine game conference scheduled beginning with the 2026 season.

Villanova was #9 in the nation last season with a 10-4 record. It opens its 2025 season at home versus Colgate before a trip to Penn State on September 13.

More to follow.

The Georgetown Football Puzzle

  Update 6/2/25

Entering its 25th season of Patriot League football this fall, upcoming changes to Patriot League football figure to test a competitive model at Georgetown University that has largely been unchanged in decades.

With an alchemy of philosophical, institutional, and financial constraints, Georgetown is one of just two Division I schools in the East playing nonscholarship football outside of the Ivy League, and is the only nonscholarship program in all of Division I competing in a scholarship conference. That the Hoyas have been able to compete in the Patriot has been due in no small part to the resolve of its coaches and players, but the league is poised for a significant upgrade in the years to come.

The arrival of two, perhaps three new member schools is one part of the change, but revisions to the league bylaws put additional scrutiny on how the Georgetown model, once dubbed as "football for fun", will compete going forward in recruiting, admissions, and ultimately for wins.

A multi-part series has debuted to discuss how Georgetown football, in the midst of the uncertainty of NIL and pressure on men's basketball to support the budget at-large, can best address these changes. Priorities that once relegated football within a narrow definition of the "ethos and culture" of Georgetown require a second look to see what can be retained, and what must be realigned for the future.

William & Mary's Move

 4/28/25

It was not a year ago that news of the arrival of the University of Richmond to the Patriot League foretold a tectonic shift in the regional football landscape. If so, Friday's announcement of a ninth PL school is the first of two earthquakes to reshape the landscape of Eastern football.

But this took years. The move by William & Mary was, by contrast, mere weeks. What happened? And what does this mean for Georgetown?

"Once upon a time, Patriot League members did not offer athletics-based financial aid and had little hope of competing nationally," wrote columnist David Teel. "[In 2012] the dinosaurs realized that athletic scholarships do not equate to academic decline, and their pivot to modern times enhanced Patriot League football, witness its subsequent playoff encounters with CAA programs.

"In the last 10 postseasons, Patriot teams are 5-5 versus the CAA. In 2015, Patriot champ Colgate defeated the CAA's New Hampshire and JMU en route to the quarterfinals, and last year Lehigh rallied for a playoff victory at Richmond. This one week after the Spiders had routed W&M 27-0 to finish 8-0 in the CAA."

The word "Richmond" is at the center of this move.

More at the Third Rail blog.

2025 Season Finale At Fenway Park

 4/10/25

Officials at Georgetown and Holy Cross announced that the Nov. 22 game between the schools has been moved to Fenway Park in Boston.

Holy Cross has not played at the park since 1956, while Georgetown last played there in its memorable match with #5 Boston College in 1940 before 35,000 in attendance.

"Our players, coaches, staff and alumni are extremely excited to compete at one of the country's most iconic stadiums," said head coach Rob Sgarlata. "I am excited to play in front of the Hoya faithful in this incredible environment against Holy Cross."

"We are excited to work with Fenway Park Events to welcome families, fans and friends from both schools to create a once-in-a-lifetime memory," said Holy Cross athletics vice president Kit Hughes. "Fenway Park is synonymous with rich history and tradition, home to one of the best teams and some of the best moments in professional sports history, and we are thrilled for the chance for our student-athletes to play in such a unique environment."

This is Georgetown's first visit to Boston since it defeated Boston State (now UMass-Boston) 7-6 to open the 1973 season. Holy Cross' last game at Fenway took place in a 7-0 season finale over Boston College before the Eagles moved to Alumni Stadium on-campus.