NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion Football quarterback Jaxon Potter threw for a career-high 329 yards, but four turnovers doomed the Monarchs as they fell to Marshall, 36-23 on Saturday afternoon at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
ODU trailed 27-10 at halftime, but on the fourth play of the third quarter, Brandon Crutchfield intercepted Marshall’s Zion Turner and returned it for a touchdown to close the gap to 27-17.
On Marshall’s (5-3, 2-2 SBC) ensuing possession, the ODU defense forced a three and out, but Potter was intercepted on the first play of the drive. Marshall turned it into a 34-yard field goal from Jorge Diaz Nicolas to make the score 30-17.
Diaz Nicolas added two more field goals, as he was good from 30 and 24 yards out, to increase the Herd’s lead to 36-17.
ODU cut the lead to 36-23 with four minutes on a 14-yard touchdown run from Maurki James. But the onsides kick failed and Marshall ran out the clock.
On the second play of the game, Marshall’s Kenyatta Hardge Jr. sacked ODU quarterback Potter, forcing a fumble that Cannon Lewis recovered. Four plays later, TJ Lester rushed in from four yards out to put Marshall on the board first, 7-0.
After an ODU three and out, Lester scored on Marshall’s first play, scoring his second touchdown of the day, this one from 49-yards to give the Thundering Herd a 14-0 lead.
Old Dominion (2-7, 1-5 SBC) cut the lead to 14-7 on its next possession with a James six-yard touchdown run that capped a five play, 77-yard drive. Potter started the drive with a 46-yard completion to Josh Rodriguez. Marshall was called for pass interference and then ODU scored a TD on a completion to Devin Roche that was called back for a penalty. Potter then connected with Rodriguez for 14 yards and then Harris for 14 more, to set up the James touchdown.
The Thundering Herd added to its lead with a 35-yard field goal from Diaz Nicolas to make the score 17-7 late in the first quarter.
The Monarchs cut the lead to 17-10 with 10 minutes left in the second quarter on an Andrew Nelms 21-yard field goal. A 42-yard completion from Potter to TJ Johnson setup the field goal.
Marshall added a 30-yard field goal by Diaz Nicolas to take a 20-10 lead with 1:13 left in the second quarter.
ODU drove 38 yards to set up a 55-yard field goal attempt by Andrew Nelms. The field goal was short and returned five yards deep in the end zone by Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw for a touchdown. The missed field goal return for a touchdown gave the Thundering Herd a 27-10 halftime lead.
Potter finished the day 23-for-44 for 329 yards and three interceptions. Rodriguez finished with a career-high nine receptions for 143 yards.
Jackson Forrest had a game-high 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Notes: Brandon Crutchfield’s 43-yard interception return for a touchdown was the second defensive score of the season for ODU. It was Crutchfield’s third interception of the season and fifth of his career … Rodriguez had a career-high 143 yards for his first career 100-yard receiving game … Devin Roche had a career-best six receptions for 41 yards … Maurki James notched his first career two touchdown game … ODU had a season-high 409 yards of total offense.