ODU Football Plays Gamely But Undone by Mistakes, Falls at No. 20 Indiana, 27-14

By Harry Minium

BLOOMINGTON, Indiana -- On a day in which Old Dominion’s football team could not afford to make mistakes, the Monarchs simply made too many and fell at No. 20 Indiana, 27-14, Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

For the second year in a row ODU opened with an inspired performance and gave a heavily-favored home team a scare. Last year, the Monarchs outgained and in many ways outplayed South Carolina, but had four turnovers in a 23-19 loss to the Gamecocks.

Saturday’s game wasn’t quite as close, but the script was in many ways the same. ODU rolled to an early, 7-0, lead, but then in essence handed the Hoosiers 17 points, 10 off two turnovers and seven on a long punt return.

Facing a defense ranked second nationally a year ago, the Monarchs could not catch up.

"We had opportunities to win the game but our mistakes took that away from us," ODU Head Coach Ricky Rahne said. "And as a head coach, that's my responsibility to make sure we don't repeat those mistakes."

Although it was the first game ever between ODU and Indiana, the teams were familiar with each other. Head Coach Curt Cignetti came to Indiana from James Madison and took 13 staff members and 14 players with him from JMU.

ODU entered the game a 24-point underdog to Indiana, which is coming off an 11-2 season and its first College Football Playoff. But the Monarchs clearly did not play like underdogs early on.

Quarterback Colton Joseph led ODU's quick-strike offense with two long touchdown runs, but otherwise, the Monarchs offense sputtered much of the game.

On the game’s first play, Joseph faked a handoff, and sprinted up the middle for a 75-yard touchdown run. Joseph scored again midway through the fourth quarter on a nearly identical play. 

On Indiana’s first possession, ODU’s defense kept the Hoosiers out of the end zone with a goal-line stand.

IU drove from its own 30 to the ODU 1, where the Hoosiers had a first and goal. Three players later, the ball was still at the at the 1. Then, on fourth down, safety Nickendre Stiger completed the goal-line stand by breaking up a pass.  

Indiana again drove deep into ODU territory late in the first quarter, but Stiger forced a fumble that Zion Frink recovered to give ODU the ball back.

But then things came unglued a bit for the Monarchs.

ODU still led, 7-0, when Ian Brandt booted a towering, 56-yard Monarch punt, which Jonathan Brady, a transfer from Cal, caught at the 9 on a bounce. He found a seam on the right side and raced 91 yards untouched for a touchdown that knotted the score at 7-7 with nine seconds left in the first quarter.

Joseph then had the first of two unforced errors, overthrowing an ODU receiver on a pass picked off by IU’s Amare Ferrell, who returned to the Monarch 40.

Again, ODU’s defense again stood tall, forcing the Hoosiers to settle for a Nicolas Radicic 22-yard field goal that gave Indiana its first lead, 10-7, with 10:03 left in the first half.

Then came another Joseph INT, this one picked off by Louis Moore at the ODU 27. He returned it to the ODU 10, and then a penalty for a block below the waist gave IU a first and goal at the 5.

On third and five, quarterback Francisco Mendoza, a highly-touted transfer from Cal, deftly faked a handoff and bowled into the end zone to give the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead and a little breathing room with 3:36 left.

ODU’s defense again kept the Hoosiers out of the end zone late in the first half, as Radicic’s 52-yard field goal attempt with two seconds left bounced off the crossbar, and sent the Monarchs into the half-time locker room trailing 17-7.

But in the second half, Indiana pulled away as its defense asserted control and the Hoosiers’ ball-control offense ate up the clock.

The Monarchs finally scored again, this time on a 78-yard yard run by Joseph with 6:53 left, that narrowed the lead to 27-14.

But Indiana methodically ran out the clock and a crowd of 47,109 accorded the Hoosiers a standing ovation as the game ended.

Rahne said the turnovers and punt return were key mistakes, but said there were others as well. ODU had nine penalties for 65 yards and there were some missed assignments and blown tackles.

ODU was outgained, 502-314, in offensive yardage and Indiana dominated time of possession, holding onto the ball 41 minutes and 28 seconds of 60 minutes.

"We've shown that we can play with anybody," Rahne said. "We played hard today. I mean, this team was a playoff team last year. And you can't make that many mistakes a win a game like this."

Joseph said he felt the Monarchs still had a chance to win after his fourth-quarter TD run. 

"We never felt like we were out of the game," he said. "We have to execute better. Third down penalties killed us."

Rahne was encouraged by what he saw after the game from his players.

"This is a team that cares very much about each other and a team that prepares well," he said. "And I looked into a lot of guys in the eyes and saw, A, that it hurt, and, B, that they still believe.

"If I could speed up time and go to practice right now, they would do it."

ODU hosts North Carolina Central Saturday at 6 p.m. in its home opener. The Eagles opened with a 31-14 victory last week over Southern University. 

Notes
Colton Joseph rushed 75 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game. It was the longest career rush of Joseph’s career … It was the second straight game ODU scored on its first offensive play of the game. In the finale last year, Quinn Heinicle rushed 92 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game … The 75-yard run by Joseph is the fifth longest in school history and the second longest by a quarterback, next to Henicle’s 92-yarder … Joseph’s 78-yard TD run in the fourth quarter is the fourth longest run in school history … Joseph is the first Monarch in program history to have two 75+ yard touchdown runs in the same game … Joseph rushed for a career-high 179 yards … His 17.9 yards per carry is the second most in a game in school history … ODU delivered a goal line stand on Indiana’s first drive, as Indiana had four plays from the ODU one and could not score … On Indiana’s second drive, Nickendre Stiger forced his forced career fumble and Zion Frink recovered his first career fumble … Ja’Cory Thomas and Tre’ Brown registered their first career catches in the first quarter … Eight players made their first career start on Saturday, including running back Maurki James, wide receivers TJ Lott and Tre’ Brown, cornerbacks Zion Frink, Safeties Nickendre Stiger and Jerome Carter, and defensive linemen Christopher Spencer and Cole Daniels … Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding had a career-high four catches … Mario Easterly registered his first career double-digit tackle game with 13 tackles.