By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – Getting into a bowl game was a sweet reward for Old Dominion's football team after the Monarchs finished off the regular season by winning its final two games.
But as the Monarchs prepared to play in the Famous Toastery Bowl, they weren't content just to be here. They desperately wanted to win.
ODU bolted to a 28-0 it could not hold and fell to Western Kentucky in overtime, 38-35, before a crowd of 5,632 at UNC Charlotte's Jerry Richardson Stadium.
As was the case two years ago in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, ODU traveled well. More than half the fans in the stadium wore ODU colors. And they almost had a lot to celebrate.
ODU led, 35-28, and could have all but clinched a victory with less than three minutes left with a 47-yard Ethan Sanchez field goal. But WKU defenders fought through the front line and blocked the kick.
After WKU tied the score and sent the game into overtime, the Monarchs had a first and goal at the one on their first and only overtime possession. Three plays later they were still at the one and Sanchez again took the field to attempt to give ODU the lead.
But his 23-yard attempt never had a chance as again, WKU defenders penetrated the line and blocked the kick.
WKU clearly wanted to get the ball close enough to put the game in the hands of placekicker Lucas Caneiro. The Hilltoppers got the ball to the center of the field on the 13. And on third down, Caneiro came him and booted the ball through the uprights.
The Hilltoppers rushed the field to celebrate, with some running past the ODU bench.
The victory was the seventh in eight games for WKU (8-5) against ODU, who were Conference USA rivals before the Monarchs left for the Sun Belt in 2022. ODU finished 6-7.
ODU head coach Ricky Rahne was somber after the game, but gave credit for WKU for its incredible comeback.
"We needed to close the game out and find a way to win and we didn't do that," he said. "You can't have two field goals blocked and expect to win. I've never been a part of a team that's had two blocked. It's inexcusable.
"But you have to give all the credit in the world to those guys across the field. They made some big plays when they had to. One kid (Dalvin Smith) had two one-handed touchdown receptions."
Thanks in large part to a combination of strong ODU defensive play and WKU mistakes, the Monarchs got off to a 28-0 lead. With starting quarterback Austin Reed and three offensive linemen in the transfer portal and unavailable to play, the Hilltoppers committed turnovers on their first three possessions.
ODU scored on the game's opening possession, thanks to a 79-yard run by quarterback Grant Wilson that set up a one-yard TD pass to Isiah Paige.
WKU started Turner Helton, the nephew of Hilltoppers' head coach Tyson Helton and son of Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton, at quarterback. On WKU's first possession he was sacked by Denzel Lowry, who forced a fumble. Cornerback LaMareon James recovered, setting up a Kadarius Calloway 5-yard TD run.
Defensive end Kris Caine then intercepted a Helton pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter, Wilson capped a an 81-yard drive with an 11-yard run around the left end and ODU led 28-0.
Helton then made a change at quarterback that turned the game around for the Hilltoppers just as the game appeared to be getting away from them. Caden Veltkamp, a redshirt freshman who grew up just a few miles away from the WKU campus, came in and steadied the ship.
By halftime the lead had narrowed to 28-7 and although ODU scored on a 21-yard TD run from Wilson to make it 35-14, it proved not to be enough.
The 6-foot-6 Veltcamp completed 40 of 52 passes for 383 yards and five touchdowns.
Rahne was effusive in his praise for Veltcamp, noting that for 12 games this season, he prepared to play for every game and rarely got more than a snap or two.
"He deserves all the credit in the world," Rahne said. "He comes off the bench and throws for 383 yards and five touchdowns. He deserved to win."
Wilson said the Monarchs got complacent after taking the 28-0 lead.
"We talked about it at halftime," he said. "We talked about it being 0-0 and a whole new ball game.
"But I don't think we believed that. And that's a huge reason why we lost the game."
Wilson said the loss was especially difficult for ODU's seniors.
"A lot of guys in the locker room were heartbroken," he said. "It was tough playing game like this as a senior. It was a horrible experience.
"A lot of guys are heartbroken. I have two years left and I'm heartbroken."
Rahne said he will always remember this team "as a resilient team. We had 11 one-score games.
"One of the things I need to do is find a way to help us come out on the positive side of those one-score games."
Rahne said as difficult as the loss was to swallow, "I told our players to shake the hands of every guy in the room," he said.
"With things how they are in college football today, you don't know how things are going to change or when you'll see these guys again.
"I know it would be easier for them to walk out of there and not have to deal with any real emotions. But that's not going to make you a better man.
"You're going to have some bigger tragedies in life than losing this game. Although it doesn't feel right now, I told them you need to be able to look people in the eye and move forward."
Notes: Grant Wilson's 79-yard first quarter run was the longest run by an ODU quarterback in school history … Isiah Paige's one-yard touchdown grab was his second of the season … True freshman Jaylen Pretlow saw his first action of the season on the kickoff … Linebacker Koa Naotala made his first career start … Kadarius Calloway's five-yard touchdown run was his first TD since the James Madison game … Kris Caine's 30-yard interception return for a touchdown was the first interception and touchdown of his career … LaMareon James forced and recovered a fumble in the first quarter. It was his first career forced fumble … Jahlil Taylor recovered his first ODU fumble … Grant Wilson's 11-yard touchdown run was his third of the season and back-to-back games with a touchdown … Ian Brandt's first punt of the game in the second quarter was a career-long of 64 yards … Tahj Ra-El recorded his first career interception at the end of the first half … ODU's 28 first half points are the most since 28 against Charlotte in the 2021 regular season finale … Deandre Lynch made his first career tackle playing in his first game … Wilson's two rushing touchdowns is his first career multi-touchdown game … Grant Wilson is the first ODU quarterback since Thomas DeMarco in 2009 to rush for 100+yards. Wilson rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns … Wayne Matthews III and Koa Naotala tied with a game-high 14 tackles … LaMareon James had 12 tackles, forced and recovered a fumble … Matthews' 135 tackles on the year is the third most in a single season in ODU history.