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POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
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ATLANTA, Ga. - The Old Dominion Monarchs won their seventh straight game with a 40-17 victory over future Colonial Athletic Association rival Georgia State at the Georgia Dome Saturday.
The win, ODU's seventh straight, improves the squad to 2-0 on the year.
Jarod Brown drilled a pair of field goals in the opening quarter giving Old Dominion a quick 6-0 edge. Brown's first field goal, a 51-yarder on the Monarchs' opening drive, was the longest of his career, surpassing his previous high of 48 in last year's season finale at N.C. Central.
Turnovers would result in Georgia State getting onto the scoreboard.
The Panthers' score came following ODU fumbling after a punt. While Georgia State recovered the ball at the ODU 15, the Monarch defense would not allow the Panthers to go on further than the nine-yard line forcing the Panthers to kick a field goal. Christian Benvenuto's attempt was good from 26-yards cutting the Monarch advantage with 6-3 with 6:07 remaining on the clock in the first quarter.
ODU quickly responded though. In just over two minutes, Colby Goodwyn punctuated a six-play, 32-yard drive to give the Monarchs' a 13-3 advantage heading into quarter number two.
Devon Simmons quickly returned possession back to the Monarchs following Goodwyn's touchdown. Simmons had a 32-yard interception return, but as the Monarchs' worked their way into the red zone, ODU fumbled the ball at their own one-yard line with the fumble return setting up the Panthers up at the Monarchs' own seven-yard line. Donald Russell finished off the drive to give GSU its first touchdown, cutting the ODU lead to 13-10 in the closing moments of the opening quarter.
Old Dominion's "All-Star" team lit up the scoreboard to start the second quarter. Paul Morant blocked the punt and freshman Blair Roberts recovered and ran into the end zone to put ODU ahead 20-10. It was ODU's 13th block in history.
Each team would add another touchdown before concluding the opening half of action. Georgia State cut the deficit to three, 20-17, with six minutes remaining in the second quarter on a run by Travis Evans. Then with just over two minutes, ODU wide receiver Reid Evans lifted ODU to a 27-17 lead heading into the half.
Old Dominion captured the lone points of the third quarter. Quarterback Thomas DeMarco registered the 27th touchdown of his career to cap an 87-yard drive by the Monarchs to give ODU a 33-17 edge with just under five minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Panthers threatened to score in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. At the ODU 12 on second and nine, the Monarchs' managed to flip the field as Eriq Lewis captured his first career interception.
On the ensuing drive, Colby Goodwyn raced downfield for 50 yards, setting up DeMarco to punch in the ball from two yards out and add to the ODU margin. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, ODU led 40-17.
Before the game was over, Carvin Powell would add another interception to keep the Panthers scoreless in the second half.
Defensively, the Monarchs were led by Craig Wilkins with nine tackles (6 solo, 3 assisted) and John Darr with seven tackles (3 solo, 4 assisted). Ronnie Cameron also added a pair of sacks totaling 16 yards lost for the Panthers.
DeMarco finished the game completing 13 of his 21 attempts for 126 yards.
Goodwyn ended the game with 26 carries for 190 yards, the second most rushing yardage by a Monarch in the school's young history.
The ODU Football Monarchs return to action next Saturday in their final non-conference contest of the year. ODU hosts Hampton on Saturday, September 17th at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium at 6 p.m. The game will air on tape delay on Cox 11 in the Hampton Roads area at approximately 10 p.m., or following the Washington Nationals broadcast on Cox 11. It will also be on tape delay on Comcast Sports Network on September 19th at 7 p.m.
MONARCH MOMENTS:
WITH THE WIN:
Old Dominion improves to 2-0 against Georgia State. The Monarchs also improve to 8-1 all-time on the road, having won seven straight away from the friendly confines of Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. ODU's last loss on the road was a 34-29 setback at Fordham on Oct. 3, 2009.
FLYING THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS:
Jarod Brown had a 51-yard field goal in the opening ODU Drive as well as a 45-yarder to improve to 15-16 all-time in field goals. His 51-yard field goal capping off the Monarchs' ODU opening drive was the longest in school history. He surpasses his previous high of 48 at N.C. Central in last year's season finale.
OPENING WITH A BANG:
And no, we're not talking about the howitzer you hear being shot off before the Monarchs run onto Foreman Field. Old Dominion scored on its opening drive against Georgia State on a Jarod Brown field goal making it the first time this season the Monarchs score on its opening drive. ODU scored on its first drive 14 times in its 24 game history.
I-N-T:
The Monarchs had three interceptions in its win over Georgia State - Devon Simmons, Eriq Lewis, and Carvin Powell. The three int's were second most in school history. The school record is four against Presbyterian on Oct. 10, 2009.
COMING BACK AT YOU:
Devon Simmons captured a 32-yard interception return in the second quarter. It was Simmons' fifth interception, having had four in the inaugural season in 2009. It ties for the fourth longest interception return. Simmons's longest was a 37-yard interception return against next week's opponent, Hampton, last season.
BLOCK THAT KICK:
Special teams now has 13 blocks to its credit in the last three seasons, four of them stopping the opponent punt. Paul Morant blocked a punt in the second quarter to help give ODU a 20-10 edge against the Panthers. It was Morant's first blocked punt. Other blocked punts in ODU's history including Alex Arain's first blocked punt in history, at Monmouth during week four last season, as well as former Monarchs Deron Mayo and Desmond Williams at Hampton last year, with both blocks resulting in scoring opportunities for the Monarchs.
OTHER ASSORTED NUMBERS:
Sophomore Colby Goodwyn scored his fourth rushing touchdown of his career. Redshirt junior Reid Evans captured his 10th touchdown reception. Blair Roberts posted his first touchdown of his career picking up Paul Morant's blocked punt to run it into the end zone. Thomas DeMarco ran in his 27th and 28th touchdowns of his three-year career.