1980 Villanova Wildcats football team

American college football season

1979 Villanova Wildcats football

Conference| Independent
Record| 6–5
Head coach|

* Dick Bedesem (6th season)

Captain| Joe Arcidiacono, Dan Burke
Home stadium| Villanova Stadium

Seasons

<- 1978

1985 ->

1980 NCAA Division I-A independents football records

* v
* t
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| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 2 Pittsburgh |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
Tennessee State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 5 Florida State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 8 Penn State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 9 Notre Dame |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 1
No. 18 Miami (FL) |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Southern Miss |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Navy |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
South Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Virginia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Boston College |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Northeast Louisiana |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Rutgers |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
UNLV |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Tulane |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 5  | - | 0
Colgate |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
North Texas State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Villanova |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
West Virginia |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 6  | - | 0
Louisville |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Richmond |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Syracuse |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
East Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Illinois State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Temple |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Army |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 1
Holy Cross |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Cincinnati |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Memphis State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
William & Mary |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Georgia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 1
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1980 Villanova Wildcats football team represented the Villanova University during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The head coach was Dick Bedesem, coaching his sixth season with the Wildcats. The team played their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania.[1] Future NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long was a senior nose guard on the team. In April 1981 the Villanova University Board of Trustees announced the discontinuation of football effective immediately. The decision was highly controversial and triggered efforts resulting in the restoration of football at the Division I-AA level in 1985.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 6| at Maryland|

* Byrd Stadium
* College Park, MD

| L 20–24| 32,650| [2]
September 13| Richmond|

* Villanova Stadium
* Villanova, PA

| L 7–21| | [3]
September 20| at UMass|

* Alumni Stadium
* Amherst, MA

| L 12–24| 11,494| [4]
September 27| Boston College|

* Villanova Stadium
* Villanova, PA

| W 20–9| 13,300| [5]
October 11| Cincinnati|

* Villanova Stadium
* Villanova, PA

| W 23–6| 13,400| [6]
October 18| at Navy|

* Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
* Annapolis, MD

| L 15–24| 21,616| [7]
October 25| at VMI|

* Alumni Memorial Field
* Lexington, VA

| W 17–6| 3,200| [8]
November 1| at Delaware|

* Delaware Stadium
* Newark, DE (rivalry)

| L 7–17| 22,680| [9]
November 8| at Penn|

* Franklin Field
* Philadelphia, PA

| W 34–3| 15,454| [10]
November 15| at Holy Cross|

* Fitton Field
* Worcester, MA

| W 45–13| 5,135| [11]
November 22| Temple|

* Villanova Stadium
* Villanova, PA (Mayor's Cup)

| W 23–7| 10,800| [12]

[13]

## Roster

[edit]

1980 Villanova Wildcats football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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DT | `79` | Rimas Melnikas | Sr
DT | `55` | Howie Long | Sr
DT | `62` | Joe Makoid | Sr
DB | `49` | Don Martin | Sr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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Head coach

* Dick Bedesem

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2016 Villanova football Media Guide". Villanova.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
2. ^ "Villanova's errors help Maryland to 7–3 victory". Sunday News Journal. September 7, 1980. Retrieved January 28, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Errors fatal to 'Nova". Courier-Post. September 14, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Villanova drops third in a row to UMass, 24–12". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 21, 1980. Retrieved November 4, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Ingram commands 'Cats to win over BC". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 28, 1980. p. 11F - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Villanova topples Cincinnati, 23–6". Courier-Post. October 12, 1980. Retrieved November 4, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Reitzel stars as Navy wins". The Daily Times. October 19, 1980. Retrieved November 4, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Defense holds fort in Villanova's 17–6 win over VMI". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 26, 1980. Retrieved February 3, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Hens top Wildcats with 'D'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 2, 1980. Retrieved November 29, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ Shister, Gail (November 9, 1980). "Villanova Rolls Past Penn, 34-3, to Prove a Point". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1-F - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ Singelais, Neil (November 16, 1980). "Villanova Pound HC". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 88 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Villanova cashes in errors by Temple for 23–7 victory". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 23, 1980. Retrieved August 10, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "1980 Villanova Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 4, 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Villanova Wildcats football

Venues|

* Shibe Park (1925–1926, 1936–1949, 1951, 1953)
* Villanova Stadium (1927–present)
* Philadelphia Municipal Stadium (1930, 1953–1957)
* Franklin Field (1948–1950, 1952–1953)
* Subaru Park (alternate; 2011–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Delaware: Battle of the Blue
* Temple: Mayor's Cup

Culture & lore|

* Will D. Cat
* "V for Villanova"

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1894
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number