SAN ANTONIO – The No. 6 University of the Incarnate Word football team took down the No. 11 Villanova Wildcats, 13-6, in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. With this win, the Cardinals tallied their tenth straight win and a ticket to the FCS Football Championship – Quarterfinals.
 
On a cold and wet afternoon, the Cardinals were held to one touchdown for the first time since 2019. Zach Calzada did it through the air and on the ground passing for 182 yards and one touchdown while also rushing for a career high 110 yards. Lontrell Turner got the start at running back with a career-high 127 rushing yards.
 
This is the first time since October that the Cardinals have been held scoreless in the first quarter as neither team was able to put points on the board during the defensive struggle.
 
UIW went on the longest drive of the game which spanned 5:46 minutes and 58 yards down to the Villanova 17-yard line as the Cardinal offense looked to take over in the second quarter. The Cardinals drive stalled and UIW broke the zero all tie, taking a 3-0 lead.
 
On the following drive the Wildcats had another short four-play drive. This time Villanova was able to make something out of nothing, nailing a 49-yard field goal to tie the game.
 
The score remained the same through the half and the Wildcats and Cardinals went into the locker room knotted up at three.
 
The battle continued through the second half, but with about two minutes remaining in the third, the Villanova kicker one upped himself with a 52-yard field goal giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game, 6-3.
 
As the Cardinals have done all season in the face of adversity, they responded. The Cardinals started their drive on the 33-yard line and Calzada took over. On a drive the spanned 77 yards, Calzada threw for 33 yards and rushed for 32. The drive was capped off with a screen pass to Roy Alexander for the first touchdown of the game to give UIW the lead, 9-3.
 
After getting another stop on defense the Wildcats had an amazing punt that pinned UIW back on the seven. On second down, Calzada completed a quick pass out wide which looked to break big. However, the Cardinals fumbled setting Villanova up with great field position.
 
The Cardinals found themselves with the ball once again with the ball late in the fourth with no change in the score.  UIW chewed up some more clock and walked away with another field goal extending the lead to 13-6.
 
On the first play from scrimmage after the score Mason Chambers made a leaping interception and then on third-and-18 Turner burst through the line for an 18-yard gain to seal the game as the Cardinals opted to run out remainder of the clock.
 
The Cardinals won by a final score of 13-6 set for a quarterfinal rematch with South Dakota State next weekend.
 
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