{"id":118708,"date":"2024-09-12T16:23:37","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T23:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/?p=118708"},"modified":"2024-09-12T16:23:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T23:23:38","slug":"fbs-odu-football-start-season-different-rmrm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/fbs-odu-football-start-season-different-rmrm\/","title":{"rendered":"ODU Football\u2019s Start To The Season Could’ve Looked Much Different"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Old Dominion might be the best 0-2 team in the FBS<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s probably not something Ricky Rahne and the Monarchs want to hear. Nobody wants to be the best winless team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rahne\u2019s squad faces a very difficult non-conference slate and opened the season at South Carolina before hosting East Carolina last week. The Monarchs fell to South Carolina 23-19 and to ECU 20-14. College football betting odds<\/a> had ODU as a 20.5-point underdog against the Gamecocks. It was a 1.5-point favorite against the Pirates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Despite the close losses, ODU was in position to win both games. It was actually leading the Gamecocks 19-16 in the fourth quarter before quarterback Grant Wilson fumbled at the Monarchs\u2019 own 6-yard line, ultimately resulting in a go-ahead touchdown for the Gamecocks. The Monarchs had two more possessions to retake the lead but both fell short with the final drive ending on an interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it didn\u2019t exactly squander the game away in the loss to ECU, the ending still had somewhat of a similar feeling to Week 1. The Monarchs trailed by just a field goal when Jahron Manning intercepted ECU QB Jake Garcia early in the fourth quarter. It was Garcia\u2019s fourth pick of the day. ODU lost 14 yards on the ensuing drive and punted, and had two more possessions to take the lead but both stalled out. Again, they had the ball on the final possession of the game with a chance to win it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few plays have been the difference in ODU being 2-0 instead of 0-2. Even sitting at 1-1 right now is a lot more encouraging than trying to overcome the winless start. Winning at least one of those games was critical as the Monarchs\u2019 next three aren\u2019t going to get much easier. Not to mention they play in the Sun Belt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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