Minium: ODU's First Thursday Night Home Contest Ever Against Georgia Southern is a Big Game
ODU and Georgia Southern kick off Thursday at 7 p.m. It is a huge game for both teams. An ODU victory would leave the Monarchs tied for first in the Sun Belt East.
By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – Eight months ago, when the Sun Belt Conference scheduled Old Dominion to play a Thursday night game against Georgia Southern on national television, there was no way of knowing that it would be a critical game in the race for the Sun Belt East Division title.
Now, eight months later, that’s just what it is – a pivotal game for both teams
Georgia Southern (5-2 overall, 3-0 Sun Belt) has won five of its last six games and leads the Sun Belt East. ODU (3-4, 2-1) has won three out of its last four and is tied for second with Marshall.
Both teams are coming off upset home victories – ODU defeated Texas State, 24-14, and Georgia Southern knocked off James Madison, 28-14.
An ODU victory would force a two-way tie for first between the Monarchs and Georgia Southern. If the Eagles win Thursday, they maintain solo control of the East Division lead at the mid-point of the conference season.
And this game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
S.B. Ballard Stadium is no stranger to national TV cameras – home games against Wake Forest (ESPNU) and Appalachian State (NFL Network) were televised nationally last season.
But what makes this game special is that it’s on Thursday night.
On Saturday, fans can choose from dozens of televised or streamed college football games.
On Thursday, there will be only two other football games – an NFL game on Prime Video and Syracuse vs. Pitt on ESPN. The World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers does not begin until Friday.
That means ODU and Georgia Southern could have a large national audience on ESPN2.
“It’s such a great opportunity for us, and for our university to be able to showcase itself,” said Ricky Rahne, ODU’s head coach.
“I know our guys are excited about it. I can’t sit here and act like it’s not a big deal for them to be able to play on national television. It is. I mean, that’s something you dream about when you’re a little kid.
“We’ve obviously got to work through that, and we’ve got to continue to talk about how we still have a 1-0 mentality, and this is all about preparation. But it will be a great atmosphere.”
Rahne said he was pleased that an hour after Saturday’s upset of Texas State, many of the Monarchs were at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex, getting their bumps and bruises treated.
Generally treatment usually waits until Sunday.
Instead, dozens sat in cold water baths to ease their aches and pains while others kept athletic trainers Justin Walker and Angela Moening busy.
With five days instead of the usual seven to prepare, taking care of your body becomes important, Rahne said.
“A college kid probably just wants to go out and have dinner with his family or hang out with his friends,” Rahne said. “And for them to take the time and get in those cold cubs, that really shows the maturity we know that’s going to be necessary to get ready for this game.”
It has taken a lot of work for ODU's campus to get ready for its first Thursday night game.
ODU has hosted scheduled games on Friday but never on a Thursday. Monday afternoon, 40 people met in the press room at S.B. Ballard Stadium to go over logistics for Thursday’s game, including nearly every department on campus, from the police to parking to facilities maintenance.
Bruce Stewart, ODU’s deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, chaired the 90-minute meeting in which everything from the arrival of the Georgia Southern equipment staff at 9 a.m. to the postgame cleanup was discussed.
“We want the campus on Friday morning to look just like it did on Thursday morning,” Stewart said.
To accommodate the game, classes will end and many of the University’s parking garages and lots will also close, at 1 p.m. University offices and the Webb Student Center will remain open.
Online classes and classes on the Virginia Beach and Portsmouth campus will continue as usual, and parking garages at Chartway Arena will remain open for faculty and staff.
Most other parking facilities will close. Signs indicating which lots will close will begin going up on Tuesday.
Traffic is also a concern.
Generally, even ODU home games on Saturday that sell out don’t generate traffic jams. “But Hampton Boulevard on a Thursday night, that should be interesting,” Rahne said with a smile.
Hampton Boulevard is one of the region’s most heavily traveled commuter routes and traffic is usually heavy from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays. Fans are urged to arrive a little early – tailgate lots open at 3 p.m.
Rahne said that the exposure will be good for his program but also great for ODU as ESPN2 will show video clips of the campus.
ODU and Eastern Virginia Medical School recently merged and three years ago ODU became recognized as an R1 Research University. The campus continues to grow, with the recent addition of the Ellmer School of Health Sciences Building.
The game is also ODU’s Military Appreciation night and there will be a flyover of Navy jets at 4:45 p.m. during the Monarch Walk (when players walk to the stadium), a parachute jump team just prior to the game and then a drone show at halftime that will pay homage to all six branches of the military as well as ODU and the Hampton Roads region.
Eric Bohannon, ODU's senior associate athletic director for broadcasting and communications, has been in touch with ESPN personnel and briefed them on all that will happen Thursday night.
“We’ve got such a great story to tell here about ODU and its academics,” Rahne said.
“We have a beautiful campus and to be able to show that off to a national audience is something we are really looking forward to.”
Minium is ODU’s senior executive writer. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
Tickets are available for the game with discounts for faculty and staff and free tickets for current or former members of the military.