The 2023 Old Dominion Monarchs football team represented Old Dominion University for the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Monarchs played their home games at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia . It was their second football season in the Sun Belt Conference , competing in the East Division. The team was coached by fourth-year head coach Ricky Rahne . The Old Dominion Monarchs football team drew an average home attendance of 17,847 in 2023.
Preseason
In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Monarchs were picked to finish in last place in the East division.[ 1]
Jason Henderson was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Jason Henderson was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Punter Ethan Duane was named to the second team.[ 1]
Schedule The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.[ 2]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 2 8:00 p.m. at Virginia Tech * ACCN L 17–3665,632 September 9 6:00 p.m. Louisiana ESPN+ W 38–3118,154 September 16 12:00 p.m. Wake Forest * S.B. Ballard Stadium Norfolk, VA ESPN2 L 24–2718,276 September 23 3:30 p.m. Texas A&M–Commerce * S.B. Ballard Stadium Norfolk, VA ESPN+ W 10–916,938 September 30 3:30 p.m. at Marshall ESPN+ L 35–4122,652 October 7 6:00 p.m. at Southern Miss ESPN+ W 17–1323,011 October 21 7:00 p.m. Appalachian State NFLN W 28–2120,017 October 28 8:00 p.m. at No. 25 James Madison ESPNU L 27–3026,239 November 4 3:30 p.m. Coastal Carolina S.B. Ballard Stadium Norfolk, VA ESPN+ L 24–2817,982 November 11 1:00 p.m. at Liberty * ESPN+ L 10–3821,481 November 18 6:00 p.m. at Georgia Southern ESPN+ W 20–1720,032 November 25 2:00 p.m. Georgia State S.B. Ballard Stadium Norfolk, VA ESPN+ W 25–2415,717 2:30 p.m. vs. Western Kentucky * ESPN L 35–38 OT 5,632
Game summaries
at Virginia Tech Game One – Old Dominion Monarchs (0–0) at Virginia Tech Hokies (0–0)
at Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, VA
Date : September 2, 2023Game time : 8:00 p.m. EDT Game weather : clear • Temperature : 79 °F (26 °C)Game attendance : 65,632Referee : Gary PattersonTV : ACC Network
Game information First Quarter (4:07) VT – Old Dominion snap through the back of the Endzone for a Safety (VT 2–0 ) Second Quarter (14:53) VT – Jaylin Lane 20 yd Pass From Grant Wells (John Love Kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:07; VT 9–0 ) (9:33) ODU - Dominic Dutton 16 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 5:14; VT 9-7 ) (2:03) VT - Ali Jennings 10 yd Pass From Grant Wells (John Love Kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:12; VT 16-7 ) (0:00) ODU - Ethan Sanchez 28 yd Field Goal (Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 2:03; VT 16-10 ) Third Quarter (9:59) VT – Ali Jennings 6 yd Pass From Grant Wells (John Love Kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 2:19; VT 23–10 ) (5:43) ODU - Keshawn Wicks 5 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:16; VT 23-17 ) (2:09) VT - Grant Wells 1 yd Rush (John Love Kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:34; VT 30-17 ) Fourth Quarter (9:28) VT – John Love 27 yd Field Goal (Drive: 8 plays, 40 yards, 3:43; VT 33–17 ) (5:38) VT - John Love 21 yd Field Goal (Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 2:35; VT 36-17 )
Statistics ODU VT First downs 19 18 Total yards 295 368 Rush yards 201 109 Passing yards 94 259 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 26:20 33:40
Team Category Player Statistics Old Dominion Passing Grant Wilson 13/25, 94 yards, 2 TD Rushing Grant Wilson 19 carries, 81 yards Receiving Ahmarian Granger 3 receptions, 14 yards Virginia Tech Passing Grant Wells 17/29, 251 yards, 3 TD Rushing Bhayshul Tuten 19 carries, 55 yards Receiving Ali Jennings 5 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TD
Louisiana Pregame line Over/under LA –6.5 55
Old Dominion vs. the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Game Two – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (1–0) at Old Dominion Monarchs (0–1)
at S.B. Ballard Stadium • Norfolk, VA
Date : September 9, 2023Game time : 6:00 p.m. EDT Game weather : Cloudy • Temperature : 85 °F (29 °C) • Wind : N 5 MPH Game attendance : 18,154Referee : Ted PittsTV announcers (ESPN+ ) : Chip Tarkenton (play-by-play) and Andy Mashaw (analyst)
Game information First Quarter (10:59) LA – Harvey Broussard 3 yd Pass From Ben Wooldridge (Kenneth Almendares Kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:56; LA 7–0 ) (10:26) ODU – Ahmarian Grangers 30 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 55 yards, 0:26; TIED 7–7 ) (3:32) LA – Kenneth Almendares 28 yd Field Goal (Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 6:46; LA 10–7 ) Second Quarter (12:00) ODU – Ethan Sanchez 39 yd Field Goal (Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 4:00; TIED 10–10 ) (4:15) ODU – Grant Wilson 3 yd Rush (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:55; ODU 17–10 ) (0:18) LA – Ben Wooldridge 1 yd Rush (Kenneth Almendares Kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 3:50; TIED 17–17 ) Third Quarter (12:36) ODU – Reymello Murphy 36 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 2:20; ODU 24–17 ) (4:43) ODU – Reymello Murphy 61 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 68 yards, 1:20; ODU 31–17 ) Fourth Quarter (14:57) LA – Terrance Williams 1 yd Rush (Kenneth Almendares Kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:37; ODU 31–24 ) (12:28) ODU – Kelby Williams 37 yd Pass From Grant Wilson (Ethan Sanchez Kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 2:24; ODU 38–24 ) (9:13) LA – Jacob Kibodi 37 yd Pass From Ben Wooldridge (Kenneth Almendares Kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 90 yards, 3:10; ODU 38–31 )
Statistics LA ODU First downs 24 20 Total yards 454 392 Rush yards 169 145 Passing yards 285 247 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 37:31 22:29
Team Category Player Statistics Louisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 25/36, 285 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jacob Kibodi 10 carries, 54 yards Receiving Jacob Bernard 3 receptions, 70 yards Old Dominion Passing Grant Wilson 13/19, 247 yards, 4 TD Rushing Keshawn Wicks 17 carries, 104 yards Receiving Reymello Murphy 2 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD
at Marshall Game Four – Old Dominion Monarchs (2–2) at Marshall Thundering Herd (3–0)
at Joan C. Edwards Stadium • Huntington, West Virginia
Date : Saturday, September 30, 2023Game time : 3:30 p.m. EDT Game weather : SunnyGame attendance : 22,652Referee : Wayne WinklerTV announcers (ESPN+ ) : Mark Martin (play-by-play), Carl Lee (analyst)Pregame line : Marshall –14.5
Game information First quarter (14:03) ODU – Jack Shields 66 yard run, Ethan Sanchez kick (Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 0:49; ODU 7–0 ) (5:26) MAR – Rece Verhoff 42 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 1:40; ODU 7–3 ) Second quarter (13:23) ODU – Jordan Bly 19 yard pass from Jack Shields, Ethan Sanchez kick (Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:06; ODU 14–3 ) (11:17) ODU – Kadarius Calloway 70 yard run, Ethan Sanchez kick (Drive: 1 play, 70 yards, 0:11; ODU 21–3 ) (9:11) MAR – Cade Conley 1 yard pass from Cam Fancher, Rece Verhoff kick (Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 2:00; ODU 21–10 ) (3:31) MAR – Caleb Coombs 22 yard pass from Cam Fancher, Rece Verhoff kick (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:03; ODU 21–17 ) Third quarter (10:10) MAR – Rasheen Ali 1 yard run, Rece Verhoff kick (Drive: 9 plays, 94 yards, 4:42; MAR 24–21 ) (8:13) MAR – Elijah Alston 85 yard interception return, Rece Verhoff kick (MAR 31–21 ) (7:50) ODU – Kadarius Calloway 69 yard run, Ethan Sanchez kick (Drive: 2 plays, 73 yards, 0:23; MAR 31–28 ) (2:59) MAR – Rasheen Ali 1 yard run, Rece Verhoff kick (Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:44; MAR 38–28 ) Fourth quarter (8:21) MAR – Rece Verhoff 30 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 4:59; MAR 41–28 ) (8:09) ODU – Kadarius Calloway 75 yard run, Ethan Sanchez kick (Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:12; MAR 41–35 )
Statistics ODU MAR First downs 11 30 Plays–yards 54–434 84–464 Rushes–yards 31–339 49–186 Passing yards 95 278 Passing: comp –att –int 11–23–3 29–35–1 Time of possession 18:39 41:21
Team Category Player Statistics Old Dominion Passing Jack Shields 11/23, 95 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT Rushing Kadarius Calloway 11 carries, 236 yards, 3 TD Receiving Reymello Murphy 1 reception, 42 yards Marshall Passing Cam Fancher 29/35, 278 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Cam Fancher 15 carries, 102 yards Receiving Caleb Coombs 8 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD
at Southern Miss Game Six – Old Dominion Monarchs (2–3) at Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1–4) – Game summary
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
Date : Saturday, October 7, 2023Game time : 6:00 p.m. CDT Game weather : -Game attendance : 23,011Referee : -TV announcers (ESPN+) : TBD
Game information First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter
Statistics ODU USM First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics Old Dominion Passing Rushing Receiving Southern Miss Passing Rushing Receiving
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
