Old Dominion tops James Madison 23-20

NORFOLK

Put up or shut up time arrived for Old Dominion's fledgling-but-promising football program Saturday.

With perennial playoff contender James Madison in town, the Monarchs needed to get over a hump that was beginning to look larger and larger.

In its three-year existence, ODU has had chances to post a "signature" win. But William and Mary escaped the Monarchs' grasp last season. And two weeks ago they really let one get away against Towson, blowing an 11-point lead in the final four minutes.

This time, they closed the deal.

Playing in front of a sold-out crowd in a regionally televised game, the Monarchs' defense pitched a shutout in the second half and Jarod Brown kicked three second-half field goals that were the difference as 15th-ranked ODU beat the ninth-ranked Dukes 23-20 in the rebirth of what was once a Foreman Field staple, the Oyster Bowl.

ODU linebacker Craig Wilkins, who had a team-high 11 tackles, got a hand on Cameron Starke's 47-yard, potential game-tying field goal attempt as time expired, setting off a raucous celebration at midfield.

"We owed it to our fans after what happened against Towson," Wilkins said.

Starke said he hit the ball well, "but after the first thud I heard a second thud and thought to myself, 'They blocked it.' "

True freshman quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns and was named the Oyster Bowl's most valuable player. But that trophy could have easily been shared by the defensive unit.

Despite all of its early successes - school officials have prided themselves on the fact that the Monarchs have the best record by a start-up program - ODU needed this one.

And the defense, in particular, needed it, for different reasons.

"Ever since this program started, people have said that our offense is great but that our defense is weak," defensive end Eddie McClam said. "But today, in the biggest game we've ever played, we held JMU to a shutout in the second half. It's difficult for me to even think about what we just did."

What they did was get themselves squarely into the conversation for a playoff berth in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA.

Playing in a conference that has produced four FCS national champions in the last decade, the Monarchs are 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Colonial Athletic Association with two games to play.

Richmond, coming off a 28-7 loss to Massachusetts, visits Foreman Field next weekend; the Monarchs close out their regular season at William and Mary on Nov. 12.

"I can't overstate how big this win is for ODU football," coach Bobby Wilder said. "This is a signature win."

It didn't look like it would go that way at the half. Heinicke had thrown two touchdown passes, but JMU scored on all four of its possessions and had a 20-14 advantage. JMU's quarterback, redshirt freshman Jace Edwards, was 11 for 12 passing for 186 yards at the half.

But if there was a fortunate break in that half, if came when Heinicke threw a prayerful 23-yard touchdown pass to Larry Pinkard, the second time the pair hooked up for a score.

The first was a beautiful fade route for 17 yards. The second was plain ugly.

On fourth-and-2, Heinicke dropped the snap, scrambled to buy time, and then launched the ball to the back of the end zone. Pinkard elevated between defensive backs Leavander Jones and Ryan Smith and came down with the ball.

"I took my eye off the ball (at the snap) and dropped it and thought, 'Crap,' " Heinicke said. "Then I started running around in circles.

"I didn't see him catch it. I was on my back. But I heard the crowd roar and thought to myself, 'It's a TD, I guess.'

"It was awesome."

After the half, ODU locked down the Dukes, who ended up losing three starting offensive linemen during the course of the day: Matt Crout (concussion), Josh Wells (broken leg) and A.J. Scott (knee).

"When you lose three offensive linemen, you're not going to be very good," JMU coach Mickey Matthews said.

After allowing JMU to amass 266 yards of offense in the first half, the Monarchs shut the Dukes (5-3, 3-2) down after the half, giving up just 76 yards.

"We smelled blood in the water," ODU defensive tackle Ronnie Cameron said. "When that happens you have to go after it and jump on the opportunity."

Rich Radford, (757) 446-2463, rich.radford@pilotonline.com