NORFOLK, Va. -- Ray Lawry rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns to lead Old Dominion over FIU, 42-28, on Saturday afternoon at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
Old Dominion (9-3, 7-1 C-USA) opened the scoring with a 22-yard Lawry run after Aaron Young recorded his third interception of the season on FIU's (4-8, 4-4 C-USA) first play from scrimmage.
The teams entered halftime deadlocked at 14-14 and FIU then opened the second half with a pick-six to take its only lead of the game at 21-14. However, ODU responded with 21 unanswered points to build a 21-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Following the pick six, ODU drove 75 yards on six plays, all runs, as Lawry bulled in for a two-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 21.
After an FIU three and out, the Monarchs drove 80 yards in 10 plays as David Washington found Travis Fugham for an 18-yard touchdown pass to put ODU on top 28-21.
ODU kept their foot on the gas, adding a Jeremy Cox six-yard score and Lawry's third touchdown of the game, a 24-yarder to make the score 42-21.
FIU added a touchdown with 1:23 remaining for the final 42-28 margin.
Aaron Young intercepted the first pass of the game by Maurice Alexander and ODU drove 41 yards in four plays as Ray Lawry scored on a 22-yard touchdown run. Lawry carried for 25 yards on the drive and also caught an 11-yard pass.
FIU responded on the next drive, driving 75 yards in seven plays as Alexander hit Jonnu Smith for a 36-yard touchdown pass.
The Monarchs retook the lead on a six play, 50-yard drive as David Washington found Zach Pascal in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
FIU tied the score at 14 with 51 seconds left, driving 45 yards as Christian Alexander hit A.J. Branisel for an 18-yard touchdown pass.
Zach Pascal led the team in receiving with eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown and Jeremy Cox added 62 yards and a touchdown on the ground. David Washington went 9-of-17 for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Oshane Ximines led the Monarch defense with six tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. TJ Ricks added six tackles and a sack.
Overall, ODU outgained FIU, 521-232, and held the Panthers to just 97 yards rushing.
Notes: ODU honored its 15 seniors in a pregame ceremony: C.J. Bradshaw, Zach Pascal, David Washington, Anthony Wilson, Aaron Young, Richard Thomas, Shadow Williams, TJ Ricks, Joe Tillman, Rashaad Coward, Troy Butler, Tyler Fisher, Tyler Compton, Jude Brenya, Scott Wiggins … Aaron Young intercepted his third pass of the year on the first play of the game … It was the fourth interception of his career … Lawry’s 22-yard touchdown run was the 38th of his career, breaking a tie with Antonio Vaughan for the career touchdown record … Zach Pascal’s first quarter catch gives him a catch in all 48 games he’s played in, the second longest streak in FBS … ODU lost a fumble on offense for the first time since the opening game against Hampton … ODU’s multiple turnover game is just the second this season for the Monarchs (Charlotte) … Lawry is the first Monarch to record multiple 1,000 yard seasons … Lawry rushed for more than 100 yards for the 17th time in his career … Zach Pascal passed Antonio Vaughan for the most career receptions in school history with 231 ... ODU's 312 yards rushing as a team is the third most in school history and most against an FBS team. The previous high against an FBS team was 297, last year at FIU ... The ODU defense held FIU to 162 yards of total offense until the final drive of the game ... FIU had -13 yards of offense in the third quarter ... ODU finishes undefeated at home (6-0) for the second time in school history and first as an FBS program. ODU went 6-0 in 2013 against FCS opponents.