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College Football Realignment: Villanova Leaving the Coastal in 2026
Published:
Villanova football is joining the Patriot League:
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League formally announced the addition of Villanova as an associate member for football beginning for the 2026 season.
The Wildcats mark the third team to join the Patriot League as football associate members since May 2024, joining former conference rivals Richmond and William & Mary.
“The addition of Villanova as our 10th football member represents a significant and exciting moment for the Patriot League,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “Villanova has consistently demonstrated excellence on the field, establishing itself as a premier FCS football program while also upholding a strong commitment to academic achievement. Combined with the recent additions of Richmond and William & Mary and the continued strength of our current members, this expansion solidifies the Patriot League’s standing as one of the strongest in the FCS.
There is more to the press release, but the gist is that the conference is expanding to 10 teams after only having seven previously. Nova will now play Lehigh and Lafayette in-conference each year, along with Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Fordham, Georgetown, Richmond, and William and Mary. They will play a “full conference schedule” to determine the league’s winner, according to the release.
This is a good spot for Nova. Feels like a lateral move in competition, but maybe Patriot League leadership is better? No clue. Regardless, they lose the Delaware game with the Blue Hens joining FBS Conference USA, but the geography makes a lot of sense. They were playing teams like North Carolina A&T and Elon in the CAA, not Elon Musk, but the Elon Phoenix down there in the south. Now they’re in a league where four of the 10 schools, Nova included, are located in Pennsylvania and the others are hyper-regional. You’ll have nine games in the conference, then you schedule three non-conference, so you get your pay day against Penn State or Maryland and then compete at the FCS level in a winnable conference. Go Cats Go!
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com