Game Nine Preview: Old Dominion vs. Middle Tennessee

NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University returns home for the annual homecoming game as the Monarchs host Middle Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.

> ODU won a wild game at WKU, 37-34, while Middle Tennessee
defeated Charlotte, 21-13.

> To briefly recap the games final seconds of the Monarchs’ win at WKU. ODU’s Pat Toal was called for roughing the passer on an incomplete pass with no time left. WKU’s Alex Rinella attempted a 57-yard field goal that fell short. ODU was flagged for too many men on the field, allowing Rinella to kick a 52-yard field goal. Rinella’s 52-yard field goal was short, and returned 83-yards by Isaiah Harper. Harper was pulled down by his facemask, allowing one more untimed down, which was a 26-yard field goal by Nick Rice to win the game.

> Blake LaRussa completed 21-of-32 passes for 327-yards and one touchdown.

>Senior receiver Travis Fulgham caught seven passes for 102-yards and a touchdown, his fourth career 100-yard receiving game. Fulgham caught a touchdown in his fifth-straight game.

> Isaiah Harper had 217 all purpose yards, including three catches for 81-yards and 136 return yards.

> Kesean Strong registered career highs with 27 carries for 125-yards and two touchdowns. It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.

> Linebacker Jordan Young had a game-high 11 tackles, while Sean Carter finished with 10 stops.

> Defensive end Tim Ward had 1.5 sacks, his first sacks of the season.

Rice For the Win
Throughout the first four games of the season, Nick Rice went through a stretch missing four of six field goals. The sophomore from Florida has bounced back, making six-straight field goals including the game-winning 26-yarder with no time left to beat WKU in fron of more than 30 friends and family.

He is now 9-for-13 on the season with a long of 48.

Rice Six-Straight Field Goals

Harper Honored
Isaiah Harper piled up 300 all purpose yards in the win at WKU and earned Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll and C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The 300 all-purpose yards were the fourth most in a game in School history.

ODU Single-Game All-Purpose Yards

Fourth Quarter Magic
In ODU’s two wins, they have outscored opponents 46-14, and in the six losses have been outscored 85-37.

ODU had an 18-7 advantage over WKU, and scored 10 points in the final nine seconds to escape with the win.

Carter, Davila Racking Up Tackles
Sean Carter had 10 tackles in the win at WKU to take a seven tackle lead over Justice Davila on the career tackles chart. Davila had five tackles in the victory.

ODU Career Tackles