Live updates of Villanova vs. Illinois State in the 2025 FCS playoff semifinals

Kickoff nears for the second of two FCS playoff semifinal games today as No. 12 Villanova hosts Illinois State for an FCS title game berth.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET from Villanova, PA and you can watch the game on ESPN2. Click or tap here for live stats.

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

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)
  • OO of Agetic Temi (AFCA)
• Second Team
  • OO Temi Agency (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)
  • Olympic Jake Pope (SI)
• Second Team
  • WR Daniel Sobkowicz (AP, SI)
  • DB Shadwel DEA TI (AP, SI, AFCA)
  • LS Dylan Calabrese (STATS)
• Third Team
  • WR Daniel Sobkowicz (STATS)
  • db shadwel nkuba ii (stats)
  • 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

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

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