NORFOLK, Va. - Ray Lawry rushed for 136 yards and Jonathan Duhart scored a pair of touchdowns by Anthony Wales rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns to lead WKU to a 55-30 win over Old Dominion University football Saturday afternoon at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
WKU (7-2, 5-0) led 31-10 at halftime but Old Dominion (3-5, 1-3) successfully tried an onsides kick to open the second half which led to a four-yard Shuler Bentley to Jonathan Duhart touchdown pass to cut the lead to 31-17 early in the third quarter.
Garrett Schwettman kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it a 34-17 lead on the next possession and on the following ODU possession Nick Holt sacked Bentley forcing a fumble that WKU recovered. In two plays Brandon Doughty hit Jared Dangerfield for a 21-yard touchdown pass to make the score 41-17.
The Monarchs came back with a 16-yard Bentley to Marques Little score to make the score 41-23 before another Wales touchdown run.
Following a 68-yard Jeremy Cox kickoff return, Bentley scored his first career rushing touchdown on a three-yard run to cap a 22-yard, four play drive to make the score 48-30.
Wales capped the scoring with a 47-yard run with six minutes left in the game.
The Monarchs received the opening kickoff and proceeded to drive 63 yards in 11 plays capped by a 28-yard field goal from Chris Kirtley. Lawry carried six times for 45 yards including a 24 yard run.
WKU tied the score at three on their first drive of the game with a 39 yard field goal from Garrett Schwettman. The ODU defense forced a punt but the Monarchs were called for roughing the punter to keep the drive alive.
WKU took a 10-3 lead on their next possession driving 51 yards in four plays capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Anthony Wales.
The Hilltoppers pushed the lead to 17-3 on a 44-yard touchdown run by Anthony Wales to complete a six play, 88-yard drive.
The Monarchs cut the lead to 17-10 with a Shuler Bentley to Jonathan Duhart three-yard touchdown pass. ODU drove 84 yards in 14 plays as Bentley hit Duhart for 20 on the drive and Pascal for a 15-yarder to keep the drive alive.
WKU came right back with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Doughty to Nicholas Norris for a two play, 65 yard drive to go up 24-10 late in the first half.
The Hilltoppers tacked on a score before halftime with a three-yard touchdown toss from Doughty to Jared Dangerfield for a 31-10 lead at the break.
Bentley finished the day with a career-high 195 yards on 19-of-34 passing and a career-best three TD tosses and a rushing touchdown. Lawry carried 26 times for 136 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards. His 966 rushing yards is a new ODU single-season record. Zach Pascal had seven receptions for 100 yards.
Wales had 16 carries for 185 yards and four touchdowns for WKU while Doughty completed 21-of-28 passing for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Nicholas Norris notched five catches for 117 yards.
Notes – ODU game captains were C.J. Bradshaw, Ray Lawry, Zach Pascal and Martez Simpson … Chris Kirtley’s 28 yard first quarter field goal was the fourth of his career … Redshirt freshman safety Sean Carter started the first game of his career … The touchdown catch by Jonathan Duhart was the second of his career … Duhart also recorded a career-best five catches … Zach Pascal’s 100-yard receiving game is his second of the season and fourth of his career … Shuler Bentley tossed multiple touchdown passes for the second time in his career … It is the first two-touchdown game for wide receiver Jonathan Duhart … Ray Lawry’s 100-yard rushing day was the 10th of his career … Sean Carter had a career-high seight tackles in his first career start … Bentley’s three touchdown passes was a career-high as well as his 195 passing yards … Jeremy Cox's 68 yard kickoff return is the seventh longest in school history ... Martez Simpson had his second-straight seven tackle game with a tackle for loss ... Oshane Ximines notched his fifth sack of the season, good enough for sixth most in a single-season.