Nov. 18, 2012
NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University football earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA FCS Playoffs and receives a first round bye. The Monarchs will host the winner of the Coastal Carolina vs. Bethune-Cookman game on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
The Monarchs go into the NCAA FCS Playoffs with a 10-1 overall mark and are 7-1 in the CAA. ODU finished in first place in the CAA but received an at-large bid to the playoffs. ODU was ineligible to receive the CAA's automatic bid.
Bethune-Cookman earned the automatic bid out of the MEAC and is 9-2 on the season. The Wildcats have won seven-straight games and are coached by Brian Jenkins.
Coastal Carolina is 7-4 on the year and earned the automatic bid out of the Big South. The Chanticleers have won five-straight and defeated Charleston Southern 41-20 on Saturday to clinch their bid.
ODU leads the country in total offense at 538.27 yards per game and is second in the country in passing offense and scoring offense.
Sophomore quarterback Taylor Heinicke leads the country in passing yards (378.00), yards per game (4,158), total offense (412.27), points responsible (24.18) and touchdown passes with 35.
Senior wide receiver Nick Mayers leads ODU receivers with 63 catches for 980 yards and a CAA best 13 touchdowns. He ranks sixth in the FCS with his 13 TD grabs.
Sophomore Antonio Vaughan had 51 receptions for 673 yards and six scores while Blair Roberts had 49 catches for 626 yards and five TD's while Larry Pinkard had 42 grabs for 593 yards and four touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Tyree Lee leads the Monarchs and is seventh in the CAA with 751 rushing yards and tied Taylor Heinicke for seventh in the league with eight rushing touchdowns.
Old Dominion leads the CAA and is 15th in the nation with 32 sacks on the year. Senior Craig Wilkins has a team-best 5.5 while Chris Burnette has four and Erik Saylor and Alex Johnson each have three.
Craig Wilkins leads ODU with 77 tackles while senior defensive lineman is second on the squad with 66.
This is the Monarchs' second ever appearance in the FCS playoffs. Last season ODU hosted Norfolk State in the first round, defeating the Spartans 35-18 before falling at Georgia Southern 55-48 in the second round.
Villanova received the automatic bid from the CAA and opens the playoffs in the first round at Stony Brook, who received an at-large bid out of the Big South.
New Hampshire was the third team out of the CAA to make the field; they receive a bye and travel to Wofford in the second round.
North Dakota State received the No. 1 overall seed, with Eastern Washington the No. 2 seed, Montana State the No. 3 seed, the Monarchs the No. 4 seed, and Georgia Southern the No. 5.
The first round will begin Saturday, Nov. 24.