COLUMBIA, S.C. – Old Dominion Head Football Coach Ricky Rahne’s philosophy does not align with the idea of suffering defeat with honor, which was evident in their close matchup on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Monarchs battled fiercely against SEC opponent South Carolina, at times showing more physicality and skill, but ultimately fell short with a 23-19 loss due to missed scoring opportunities and critical turnovers.
The game drew a lively crowd of 78,946, marking the largest attendance for an ODU game. The Monarchs entered the game as significant underdogs, with South Carolina favored by three touchdowns. Despite the outcome, the close score will likely attract national attention.
Rahne was not content with the result, expressing a desire to win. “I’m not happy with the outcome,” he said. “I expected to win this game.”
ODU’s defense excelled, limiting South Carolina to just three field goals and forcing two turnovers that directly resulted in Gamecocks touchdowns. Quarterback Grant Wilson had a challenging game, completing 22 of 38 passes for 197 yards, while also scoring one rushing touchdown, but his two fumbles proved costly.
Rahne commented on Wilson’s performance, stating, “I would tell him to keep fighting. He’s a tremendously tough kid…We’ve got to continue to work with him.” He expressed confidence that Wilson would bounce back for the upcoming game against East Carolina.
In the game, ODU trailed 16-7 midway through the third quarter when Wilson ignited the offense, rushing for a 36-yard touchdown to decrease the deficit. After forcing South Carolina to turn the ball over on downs, ODU equalized with a 40-yard field goal from Ethan Sanchez after an impressive drive.
The Monarchs took their first lead of the night at 19-16 with another field goal, but their advantage was short-lived. A costly fumble from Wilson allowed South Carolina to reclaim the lead with just over six minutes remaining, which the Monarchs could not overcome in the limited time left.
Despite the rough start, where Wilson lost a fumble leading to an early South Carolina touchdown, he quickly aided ODU in responding with a 72-yard touchdown pass to Isiah Paige, showcasing his ability to recover. South Carolina managed to expand their lead again before halftime, ending the half with a successful field goal.
Although ODU outperformed South Carolina in the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early disadvantage.
Rahne addressed the media directly, expressing respect for both teams and emphasizing the quality of play showcased during the game, encouraging recognition of the hard-fought efforts of his players.
In other notes, the game was notably the hottest on record for ODU, with temperatures reaching 94 degrees at kickoff. Notable performances included Mario Thompson’s 2.5 sacks and Isiah Paige’s first 100-yard receiving game.