8:53 pm, December 18, 2025

Here’s how to watch the 2025 FCS semifinal game between Illinois State and No. 12 Villanova.

8:53 pm, December 18, 2025

Here are some of the top storylines and players to watch entering this year’s FCS semifinals.

Storylines

Underdogs

It’s rare that an unseeded team makes the FCS semifinals. It’s even rarer when the semifinal matchup is between two teams outside of the top eight.

Villanova has advanced the farthest of any non-top-eight seeded team since the bracket expanded to 16 seeds in 2024.

The only unseeded team in the 24-team era to make the national championship game was Youngstown State in 2016.

Illinois State could be the second.

No team has won all road games and made the national championship game since the playoffs expanded to 24 teams.

Illinois State could be the first.

Series history

Villanova and Illinois State have met only once in historty — a 19-17 Redbird win in 1976.

Players to Watch

Here are some players to watch from Villanova

CAA Special Teams Player of the Year: RB/KR Ja’briel Mace

All Americans

First Team

KR Ja’briel Mace (STATS)
OL Temi Ajirotutu (AFCA)

Second Team

OL Temi Ajirotutu (SI)
LB Shane Hartzell (SI)
KR Ja’briel Mace (SI)
AP Ja’briel Mace (AFCA)

Third Team

OL Stephane Voltaire (STATS)
LB Shane Hartzell (STATS)

Freshman

DB Anthony Hawkins
PR Braden Reed

All CAA

First Team

OL Temi Ajirotutu
OL Stephane Voltaire
KR Ja’briel Mace
LB Shane Hartzell

Second Team

WR Luke Colella
DL Obinna Nwobodo
S Christian Sapp

Third Team

RB David Avit
PR Braden Reed
CB Zahmir Dawud

Here are some players to watch from Illinois State

MVFC Defensive Player of the Year: LB Tye Niekamp
MVFC Freshman of the Year: WR Luke Mailander

All Americans

First Team

LB Tye Niekamp (STATS, AP, SI, AFCA)
OL Jake Pope (SI)

Second Team

WR Daniel Sobkowicz (AP, SI)
DB Shadwel Nkuba II (AP, SI, AFCA)
LS Dylan Calabrese (STATS)

Third Team

WR Daniel Sobkowicz (STATS)
DB Shadwel Nkuba II (STATS)
OL Landon Woodard (SI)

All MVFC

First Team

WR Daniel Sobkowicz
OL Jake Pope
LB Tye Niekamp
DB Shadwel Nkuba II

Second Team

RB Wenkers Wright
FB Scotty Presson Jr.
OL Landon Woodard
DB Lashavion Brown
LS Dylan Calabrese

8:53 pm, December 18, 2025

Here’s how Villanova and Illinois State stack up based on this season’s results.

Illinois STATE
2025 STATS
Villanova

11-4 (6-3)
Record (Conf)
12-2 (7-1)

NR
Playoff Seed
No. 12

No. 17
FCS Coaches rank
No. 6

No. 17
FCS Stats Perform rank
No. 9

30.6
Points per game
30.6

25.9
Points allowed
20.1

382.5
Yards per game
397.4

380.8
Yards allowed per game
329.6

170.1
Rush yards per game
180.8

134.6
Rush yards allowed per game
127.6

212.4
Pass yards per game
216.6

246.2
Pass yards allowed per game
202.0

8:53 pm, December 18, 2025

Here’s a look at the past semifinals appearances from Villanova and Illinois State. Villanova last reached the semifinal round in 2010. Illinois State last reached the semifinal round in 2014, advancing to the national title game.

Villanova FCS semifinal appearances

2002 — loss to McNeese
2009 — National Championship winner
2010 — loss to Eastern Washington

Illinois State FCS semifinal appearances

1999 — loss to Georgia Southern
2014 — National Championship runner-up

8:53 pm, December 18, 2025