By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion's football team concluded a remarkable regular-season comeback Saturday afternoon by rolling past Charlotte, 56-34, to win its fifth game in a row and become bowl eligible for the first time in five seasons.
The game matched teams with 5-6 overall records, with the winner destined to become bowl eligible and the loser done for the season. ODU (6-6, 5-3 Conference USA) has not gone to a bowl since defeating Eastern Michigan in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, in which ODU lost a 21-point lead. But each time the 49ers punched, the Monarchs punched back. And in the process, they likely punched their ticket to a bowl game.
ODU appears very likely but not certain to go to a bowl game. Conference USA has seven guaranteed bowl bids but because North Texas upset previously unbeaten UTSA there are now eight Conference USA teams bowl eligible.
However, not all conferences are expected to fill all of their allotted bowl slots. Moreover, ODU's resume will stack up well against many other six-win teams. The Monarchs not only won five-straight, they have a strong fan base and a great story to tell.
ODU was 1-11 in 2019 and because of the pandemic, was one of three FBS schools not to play in 2020. ODU was picked to finish last in the league and rated 129th out of 130 FBS teams by CBSSports.
Head coach Ricky Rahne, the former Penn State offensive coordinator, and his staff performed remarkably in motivating a 1-6 team to win its last five.
Rahne said he's confident his team will receive a bowl bid and says the Monarchs clearly have earned one.
"To be able to coach these guys for another couple of weeks would be a dream come true," Rahne said. "I know it's not guaranteed. There are all sorts of sponsors and politics and TV and things I'm not privy to involved here.
"But if you're a human being who likes college football, and you go into that locker room, there is a zero percent chance you're not sending that team to a bowl game.
"And if somebody decides not to send us to a bowl game, then they probably take candy from babies and kick puppies. Because this team has earned it."
The 56 points was the most ODU has scored in a Conference USA game since joining the league in 2014.
The game marked the 71st annual Oyster Bowl and the winner of the Melvin T. Blassingham MVP award was wide receiver Ali Jennings III , who had a career day for the Monarchs. The Richmond native, who transferred to ODU from West Virginia, hauled in nine passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns.
Blake Watson rushed 18 times for 106 times and two touchdowns and became only the second ODU player ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.
Linebacker Jordan Young had 11 tackles and finished one short of tying the school record for tackles in a career, a record he will almost surely break in a bowl game.
Quarterback Hayden Wolff completed 17 of 26 passes for three touchdowns and 328 yards. And he agrees with Rahne that ODU has earned a bowl bid.
"To beat five FBS teams in a row, that's a hard thing to do," he said. "Especially after starting 1-6.
"We beat a variety of good teams. FAU, Middle Tennessee and Charlotte. These are teams that have played and competed at the highest level against Power 5 schools. To beat teams like that, we're on a roll right now.
"It's hard to win five games in a row and we're looking forward to the next one."
Jennings wore the No. 10 jersey in honor of his cousin, Isiah Paige, who was lost for the season last weekend at Middle Tennessee with an injury.
"Isiah is blood," he said. "He's one of the reasons I decided to come here. It didn't feel the same without having him our there.
"I talked to Deege (Dwight Galt IV), our head strength coach, and he asked me if I wanted to wear it and I jumped on it. It was something I was thinking about.
"I told him it was going bring me good luck this game. And he told me to go get it."
The score was tied at 28-28 midway through the second quarter after Charlotte scored 21 consecutive points and the Monarchs appeared to be reeling.
But then Wolff and Jennings came up big for ODU, as they connected on a 51-yard pass that set up a Watson 3-yard touchdown run with 2:35 left in the third quarter that gave the Monarchs a 35-28 lead.
Charlotte then chipped away at the lead, as Jonathan Cruz kicked 39 and 44-yard field goals, the last with 10:04 left to narrow the lead to 35-34.
ODU's offense then answered again, with Wolff throwing a 32-yard pass to Jennings, an 11-yarder to Watson and a 25-yard pass to freshman Jordan Bly that gave ODU a first down at the Charlotte 3.
Two plays later, Watson carried two yards for the touchdown and Rice added the conversation kick to give ODU a 42-34 lead.
Wolff and Jennings put the game all but out of reach with 3:49 left when they hooked up on a 36-yard TD pass that gave the Monarchs a 49-34 lead.
ODU's defense forced four turnovers, including a fumble recovered and carried into the end zone with three minutes left by Deeve Harris for the final ODU score.
ODU led 14-0 and 28-7 after two early touchdowns set up by interceptions by Joe Joe Headen and Young, seniors playing their last games at S.B. Ballard Stadium who also happen to be roommates.
On second down, Watson carried and fought his way to the one-yard line, where he fumbled into the end zone. Sophomore tackle Nick Saldiveri fell on the ball and was credited with his first career touchdown with 9:15 to go.
Charlotte drove to the ODU 48 on its next possession only to see Young intercept, setting up a 65-yard TD drive, capped off by Elijah Davis's 12-yard run.
After holding Charlotte on downs, the Monarchs made it 21-0 on Jennings' 46-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter. Jennings was well covered and had to lunge while bringing the ball in and hitting the turf at the same time.
After a Charlotte score, Jennings hauled in a 34-yard TD pass to make it 28-7. Charlotte then scored 21 unanswered points to knot the score at 28-28.
ODU administrators expect to learn by Sunday, Dec. 5 where ODU will play. ESPN announces on Dec. 5 who will play in what bowls. ODU will put game tickets on sale as soon as the Monarchs learn their bowl destination.
Rahne said he's planning to go bowling.
"I think we're going to a bowl game and I will call whoever I need to call and go to their house, walk their dog, whatever they need me to do, because this team has earned the right to play in a bowl," he said.
"This would be 11 bowl games in a row for me. I don't know if I'd ever have a more special one than this one. And it's because I get to be around these guys for one more week."
NOTES: Headen intercepted a pass for the second-straight game and fourth of his career … Headen's 89-yard INT return was the longest in school history … Jordan Young's interception was his first of the season and second of his career … Elijah Davis scored his sixth touchdown of the season with a 12-yarder in the first quarter … Nick Saldiveri became the first ODU offensive line to score a touchdown when he recovered a Blake Watson fumble in the end zone … Ali Jennings caught nine passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns … It was the 10th time in school history a player has caught three touchdowns in a game. The most recent was Jonathan Duhart in ODU's 49-35 victory over Virginia Tech … The 252 receiving yards is the second most in a game in ODU history. Nick Mayers' had 271 receiving yards in 2012 against New Hampshire, when Taylor Heinicke passed for 730 yards … For the sixth time this season, Blake Watson rushed for more than 100 yards, as he had 18 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns … Watson broke ODU's single-season record for rushing attempts, as he now has 201. Lawry held the record with 200 in 2016 … Watson became the second player to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season, joining Ray Lawry, who did it twice. Watson has 1,035 yards, third most in school history … With 11 tackles, Jordan Young is one shy of the ODU career record with 339, one shy of Craig Wilkins. Wilkins also leads ODU in career fumble recoveries and interceptions … Deeve Harris is the first ODU defensive player to register two defensive touchdowns in the same season … Hayden Wolff passed for a career-high 328 yards and three touchdowns, as he completed 17-of-26 passes … Zack Kuntz caught five passes to give him 71 for the season, which is the third most in a single-season in ODU history … ODU joins North Texas as the first teams to win five-straight to become bowl eligible since Miami (Ohio) in 2016. Miami started 0-6 that season. In 2017, Missouri won its first game, lost five-straight, then won six-straight … ODU is bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. ODU was also bowl eligible in 2014 but in its second year of FBS needed there to not be enough bowl eligible teams.
ODU Football Team Rolls past Charlotte, 56-34, and Becomes Bowl Eligible
