NORFOLK, Va. – David Washington found Zach Pascal in the end zone for an 11 yard touchdown pass with 2:18 to play and the ODU defense forced a Lee McNeill pass incomplete on fourth and 13 as the Monarchs came back to defeat Charlotte 37-34 Saturday evening at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Trailing by five with 5:11 to play in the game, Washington hit Pascal for 33 yards on third and 10 to put Old Dominion (3-3, 1-1) at the Charlotte 32. Washington ran for 10 yards followed by a 10 yard run from Jeremy Cox before finding Pascal in the end zone. Washington hit Jonathan Duhart for the two-point conversion.
Trailing 31-29 at their own 30, ODU ran a fake punt that was short to give the 49ers the ball at the ODU 33. Charlotte drove to the ODU one and on third and goal was stuffed by Poncho Barnwell and Justice Davila to force a 20-yard Blake Brewer field goal to make the score 34-29.
The Monarchs cut Charlotte’s 24-12 halftime lead early in the third quarter as Washington found Marques Little for a 33-yard touchdown and then Chris Kirtley followed with a 45-yard field goal to make the score 24-22.
Charlotte pushed the lead to nine at 31-22 with a one-yard run by Matt Johnson. ODU quickly cut into the lead as Washington hit Pascal for a 15-yard score to make the score 31-29.
Charlotte got on the board first as Kalif Phillips carried in from a yard out to cap a nine play, 64 yard drive. The big play of the drive was a 25-yard pass from Lee McNeill to Trent Bostick, the only pass play of the drive.
Old Dominion struck right back with a 53 yard touchdown pass from David Washington to Zach Pascal. The pass was Washington’s first attempt of the season. Chris Kirtley’s extra point was blocked.
The 49ers came back later in the first quarter with a seven play, 37 yard drive with a one yard touchdown run by Andrew Buie to give Charlotte a 14-6 advantage.
With ODU driving, Caleb Clayton Molby forced a fumble that the 49ers recovered and turned into a 31-yard Blake Brewer field goal. Charlotte drove 74 yards but key stops by Terrell Reid and a pass breakup by Oshane Ximines forced the field goal.
The Monarchs came back with their own field goal, a 40-yarder from Chris Kirtley. ODU drove nine plays, 45 yards, the big play a 24-yard pass from Washington to Travis Fulgham. Washington hit Fulgham in the end zone but the play was nullified due to offensive pass interference on Fulgham.
On Charlotte’s next possession, TJ Ricks forced and recovered a fumble that he returned to the Charlotte 25. Three-straight incompletions led to a 42-yard Chris Kirtley field goal to cut the Charlotte lead to 17-12.
Washington completed 25-of-43 passes for 365 yards, four touchdowns and an interception, all career-highs. Pascal also recorded career bests with 11 catches for 231 yards and three scores. Jeremy Cox rushed for a career best 46 yards while Washington added 37.
Kalif Phillips carried 35 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns for Charlotte.
Notes – ODU game captains were Rashaad Coward, Marques Little, Zach Pascal and Oshane Ximines … The contest was ODU’s 45th straight sellout since restarting football in 2009 … David Washington's 53 yard touchdown pass was his first since Nov. 16, 2013 against Campbell … With a 23-yard first quarter run Ray Lawry became ODU’s all-time leading rusher … Travis Fulgham’s 24 yard second quarter catch was the first of his career … Zach Pascal’s 100-yard receiving game is his first since 110 yards last year against Middle Tennessee … Pascal’s 11 catches is one off the school record held by Antonio Vaughan, Nick Mayers and Reid Evans, who have 12 apiece … It is the first double-digit reception game for an ODU receiver since Vaughan had 11 catches against The Citadel in 2013 … Pascal’s 303 all-purpose yards is the third most in school history … His 231 receiving yards is the second most in school history only to Nick Mayers’ 271 against New Hampshire … Washington’s 365 passing yards is a career-high, along with his 25 completions and four touchdown passes … It was the 31st 300-yard passing game in school history … TJ Ricks broke ODU’s single-game record with 18 tackles, breaking Craig Wilkins record of 17 set in 2011 against Hampton … Fellonte Misher moved into second in ODU’s all-time tackles charts passing John Darr and notching a career-best 14 tackles … Redshirt freshman linebacker Marvin Branch added a career-high 11 stops … Chris Kirtley’s 40-yard field goal in the second quarter was the first of his career … It was the first time since 2011 against James Madison that an ODU kicker (Jarod Brown) has made three field goals in one game … Rashaad Coward blocked the third kick of his career when he blocked Blake Brewer’s 48-yard attempt in the third quarter.