David Coulson

The momentum tide changed quickly when a bad snap over Ragone's head led to a safety for the Wildcats at the 9:50 mark and Angelo Babbaro returned the ensuing free kick to the Penn 42.

Angelo Babbaro comes to the rescue for Villanova and scores from three-yards out from Wildcat formation to make it 9-7 Wildcats with 6:20 remaining in the first half.

As the teams head for the locker room, it's Villanova 9, Penn 7 at the half. Penn's defense has lived up to its billing so far. If there is an FCS team that plays with more intelligence and discipline on defense than the Quakers, I don't know who it is.

And here are some first-half stats for the game:

Penn 56 yards rushing, 35 passing for 91 total on 28 plays. Lyle Marsh has 8 carries for 40 yards.

Villanova 45 yards rushing , 47 passing for 92 total on 23 plays. Chris Whitney has 69 of the Wildcats' 92 yards and Angelo Babbaro has 93 all-purpose yards, including 59 on the kick return that set up VU's touchdown.

Still 9-7 Villanova over Penn with 10:52 left in the third quarter after Quaker kicker Andrew Sampson just misses a 38-yard field goal attempt after the opening drive of the second half.

Matt Szczur's night is apparently done. He returned without his pads on in the second half. Lyle Marsh of Penn is also out with some sort of chest injury. The worst injury of the night could be a left knee problem suffered by VU starting linebacker Anthony Johnson in the first half on Penn's scoring drive. This has been a very physical game thus far.

Aaron Ball was close to breaking free for a long TD run for VU with two minutes left in the third quarter, but he was stripped of the ball and Penn recovered. Still Villanova 9, Penn 7, late in the third period.

In what could be one of the key plays of the game, Billy Ragone makes a first down on a QB sneak by the stripe of the ball on fourth and one inch from inside the Penn 40. On the next play, Eric Loper of VU gambles and just misses a pick six that Matt Tuten catches and takes to the Wildcat 31.

VU stops Penn on a third down shovel pass from Ragone to TE Luke Nawrocki at the two. On the next play, Andrew Sampson bombs through a 19-yard field goal for a Penn 10-9 lead with 9:10 remaining.

Chris Whitney comes through on a clutch third-down throw with a 21-yard TD pass to Norman White to give VU a 15-10 lead with 4:29 left. A two-point throw to Dorian Wells is ruled out of bounds on a very close call.

James Pitts goes 56 yards for a pick six that should clinch a hard-fought win for Villanova with 2:59 remaining. Penn had just picked up a first down at the Wildcat 46 on a super catch from Blake Adams. It's 22-10 'Nova.

Final from Villanova, 22-10, the Wildcats beat Penn. Both teams deserve credit for an entertaining, hard-fought game.