HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – Shadeed Ahmed caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Grant Wells in overtime and D.J. Mack Jr.'s fourth down pass fell incomplete to give Marshall a 20-13 overtime win in Huntington Saturday afternoon at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Willie Johnson caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Wells to tie the game at 13 with 33 seconds left.
On the ensuing drive, Mack completed a pair of passes to Zack Kuntz and Isiah Paige, and Blake Watson rushed for six yards to set up a 58-yard field goal attempt by Nick Rice, which fell just short to send the game into overtime.
Blake Watson led ODU with a career-day, rushing 26 times for 168 yards, including a career-long 43 yard run.
ODU held Marshall to 390 yards of offense, 150 below its season average.
On the first drive of the game Marshall drove to the ODU 21 but the Monarchs defense led by Jordan Young and Deeve Harris stuffed the Herd on 4th and 1 to force the turnover on downs.
Cory McCoy intercepted a pass for Marshall to set up the Herd at the ODU 20 midway through the first quarter. The ODU defense held firm again and held Marshall to a four play, -6 yard drive that resulted in a 42-yard Shane Ciucci field goal.
The Monarchs countered with a nine play, 81-yard drive capped by a 33-yard touchdown pass from D.J. Mack to Ali Jennings III to take a 7-3 lead to end the first quarter.
After another ODU defensive stop, the Monarchs drove 73 yards in 13 plays as Nick Rice drilled a 47-yard field goal to put ODU on top 10-3 with 6:38 remaining in the second quarter.
Marshall cut the ODU lead to 10-6 with another field goal by Ciucci, this one a 22-yarder to cap a 76-yard, 14 play drive.
Ryan Henry totaled a career-best 12 tackles, while Terry Jones notched a career-high nine stops.
ODU hosts WKU on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. for homecoming.
Notes
Ali Jennings III scored his second touchdown of the season and the score made it his second-straight game with a TD … Nick Rice connected on his 51st career field goal, a 47-yarder in the second quarter … It was his longest field goal of the year … R'Tarriun Johnson intercepted his first career pass in the third quarter … The INT was ODU's first of the year as a defense … Sokoya McDuffie registered the first sack of his career … Ryan Henry recorded a career-high 10 tackles … Roger Cray recorded his fourth career interception and first as a Monarch.
Monarchs Fall in Overtime at Marshall, 20-13
Blake Watson