FCS update: Penn football's nonconference opponents

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Penn football wasn’t in action on Saturday, but two of its future nonconference opponents faced off in a battle of ranked opponents.

No. 10 Villanova took on Fordham, which was ranked one spot below the Wildcats in the FCS polls. The result was extremely lopsided, as the higher ranked Wildcats beatdown the Rams, 50-6, at Villanova Stadium.

Villanova redshirt-junior quarterback John Robertson, who has beaten Penn each of the last two years, had a banner day both on the ground and through the air. He went 17-for-24 while throwing for 216 yards and three touchdowns and added a score on the ground.

Two of his touchdown passes went to senior wide receiver Poppy Livers, who had eight catches for 110 yards on the day. Livers scored two touchdowns against Penn last season with 121 yards receiving.

Fordham was coming off a 52-23 victory over St. Francis (Pa.) last weekend while Villanova lost in double overtime to Syracuse, an FBS opponent.

The Quakers face Villanova in its home opener on Sept. 27 before traveling to Fordham on Oct. 11 during fall break.

Penn’s first game will come on Sept. 20 against Jacksonville, a squad out of the Pioneer League.

The Dolphins started out the season on Aug. 30, falling to Southeastern Louisiana, 44-3, on the road. Jacksonville is in the middle of renovations to its stadium. The school is adding a 25-by-13 foot video screen as well as a 2,900 seat grandstand and a new pressbox.

According to Jacksonville’s website, the construction is expected to be finished by the Dolphins’ home opener on Sept. 13.