VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Long Island University football team came up short in its penultimate 2019 contest, falling to No. 13/16 Villanova University, 35-17 under the lights of Villanova Stadium on Friday, Nov. 15.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Jonathan DeBique had his best game of the season out of the backfield, rushing 24 times for 91 yards. Freshman Malcolm Denbow rushed for a touchdown for the second-consecutive game and rookie quarterback Jacob Cheshire added 25 yards rushing on seven carries.
 
After the LIU defense held Villanova to a three-and-out on the game's opening drive, the Wildcats took the lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass to go ahead 7-0. Villanova added a late score to lead 14-0 after the first quarter and stretched the advantage to 21-0 after a blocked punt early in the second quarter.
 
The Sharks recovered midway on the ensuing possession, going 64 yards on 11 plays before Denbow found the end zone on a six-yard run to put the Blue and Gold on the scoreboard. The Wildcats added a late touchdown to close out the first half and tacked on one final score during the third quarter. The Shark defense held Villanova to just 23 yards during the fourth quarter to keep the Wildcats scoreless.
 
LIU returns home to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium for its season finale against a familiar opponent in Merrimack College. The Sharks will honor their 2019 graduating class prior to the contest which is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.