At 33, Villanova’s Luke Larsen is college football’s oldest player

VILLANOVA, Pa. (WPVI) — At first glance, Luke Larsen looks like any other player on the Villanova football team. But there’s one key difference: he’s 33 years old.

The Australian native is the oldest player in college football.

Larsen’s journey began more than 10,000 miles away in Melbourne, Australia, where, at age 26, friends encouraged him to enroll in Prokick Australia – a program that helps Australian rules football players pivot to American football.

The goal: earn a college scholarship.

“I was eligible to come over, had good grades from high school. Within six months, I had a scholarship offer and came across,” Larsen said.

He began his college career at East Carolina University, where he earned two degrees. After entering the transfer portal, he landed at Villanova, where he’s pursuing a master’s degree in public administration while using his final year of football eligibility.

You might think it’s awkward for Larsen playing on a team with players nearly half his age. He says he’s got noproblem kicking it with his younger teammates.