Football Overcome By Old Dominion, 66-10

NORFOLK, Va. – Taking on a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) transition team for the first time in program history Saturday night at S.B. Ballard Stadium, the University at Albany football team battled Old Dominion University in front of a sell-out crowd of 20,118. While the Great Danes scored a touchdown on their first drive of the game, the Monarchs responded with a controlling offensive surge, overcoming UAlbany 66-10. With the victory, Old Dominion improved to 3-2 on the season, while UAlbany fell to 1-4 overall.

Led by the 2012 Walter Payton Award winner – the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy – junior quarterback Taylor Heinicke led the Monarchs with 365 passing yards and two touchdowns, completing 28-of-33 passes. In all, ODU totaled 614 yards of total offense and had 36 first downs.

For the Great Danes, Will Fiacchi threw for 221 yards and a touchdown, as he completed 15-of-26 passes. Senior Cole King served as the top target, recording five catches for a total of 73 yards. On the ground, junior Omar Osbourne carried the ball 10 times, netting 49 yards, while freshman Andre Martin rushed 11 times for 27 total yards. UAlbany finished with 325 yards of total offense.

Defensively, TJ Idowu and Michael Nicastro both broke double-digits, recording 12 and 10 tackles, respectively.

Entering the game with some of the top offensive numbers in the nation, Old Dominion quickly made a statement driving 66-yards in less than three minutes for a 7-0 head start. Heinicke connected an eight-yard pass to Larry Pinkard to cap the scoring drive.

The Great Danes hastily responded, tying the game, 7-7, with 8:59 remaining in the first quarter. After two third-down conversions, Fiacchi connected with tight end Brian Parker for a 55-yard touchdown reception. Catching the ball on the Great Danes’ sideline, the 6-foot-4 Parker broke three tackles as he scampered over 20-yards after the grab.

However, ODU went on an offensive tear, converting five straight touchdown scoring drives leading up to halftime. Cam Boyd made it 14-7 with a two-yard rush with 6:35 remaining in the first.

As a result of some early trickery, UAlbany started its next drive with good field position after a failed ODU onside kick. However, the Great Danes’ fleaflicker pass to Parker got batted skyward and into the hands of ODU’s Fellonte Misher. The Monarchs then drove 67-yards on eight plays to take 21-7 advantage with 3:20 remaining in the opening quarter.

In the second stanza, ODU used only 51 ticks off the clock to find the end zone, as Heinicke capped the three-play drive with a 21-yard pass to Zach Pascal.

Looking to get back on the board, UAlbany kicked a 40-yard field goal, but the Monarchs got a hand on it and the missed attempt led to an eight-play 67-yard touchdown drive. Colby Goodwyn crossed the goal line with a five-yard rush, giving Old Dominion a 35-7 lead.

Old Dominion continued to keep momentum on its side, blocking UAlbany’s punt at the 18 and recovered the pigskin at the 24-yard line. The Monarchs then used seven plays to punch in another touchdown at the four-minute mark. Heinicke’s one-yard rush capped the drive, giving the Monarchs’a 42-7 halftime lead.


Out of the break, Goodwyn finished ODU’s 92-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown rush.
However, the Great Danes responded with Tom O’Riordan’s 36-yard field goal, making the score 49-10 with 3:09 remaining in the third quarter.

Slowing ODU’s pace, UAlbany held the Monarchs to a 37-yard field goal of their own with 30 seconds on the clock, making the score 52-10 at the end of the stanza.

In the fourth, Old Dominion capped the contest with Gerard Johnson’s two-yard touchdown run with 6:15 remaining, and David Washington’s five-yard TD rush with 30 seconds left in the ballgame.
“I give Old Dominion credit. They are a very good football team,” said Head Coach Bob Ford. “We moved the ball tonight, but we just couldn’t finish the drives.”

UAlbany was 7-for-15 on third-down conversions and were 0-for-2 on fourth-down. In the red zone, the Danes finished 1-for-3, while ODU was a perfect 9-for-9.

Up next, the Great Danes return to the state of Virginia, taking on CAA foe James Madison Oct. 5^th at 1:30 p.m.

Scoring Summary (Final)
ALBANY (1-4,0-1) vs. Old Dominion (3-2)

Date: Sep 28, 2013 • Site: Norfolk, Va. • Stadium: S.B. Ballard • Attendance: 20118

Score by Quarters	1	2	3	4	Score
ALBANY	7	0	3	0	10
Old Dominion	21	21	10	14	66

SCORING SUMMARY				ALBANY -ODU
1st	12:03	ODU	L. Pinkard 8 yd pass from T. Heinicke (J. Brown kick)
			10 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:57	0 - 7
	08:59	ALBANY	Parker, Brian 55 yd pass from Fiacchi, Will (O'Riordan, Tom kick)
			7 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:56	7 - 7
	06:35	ODU	C. Boyd 2 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 3:16	7 - 14
	03:20	ODU	C. Goodwyn 1 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:17	7 - 21
2nd	14:28	ODU	Z. Pascal 21 yd pass from T. Heinicke (J. Brown kick)
			3 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:51	7 - 28
	08:05	ODU	C. Goodwyn 5 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:17	7 - 35
	04:00	ODU	T. Heinicke 1 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			7 plays, 24 yards, TOP 1:36	7 - 42
3rd	08:18	ODU	C. Goodwyn 1 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			9 plays, 92 yards, TOP 3:09	7 - 49
	03:09	ALBANY	O'Riordan, Tom 36 yd field goal
			12 plays, 55 yards, TOP 5:09	10 - 49
	00:30	ODU	J. Brown 37 yd field goal
			8 plays, 52 yards, TOP 2:33	10 - 52
4th	06:15	ODU	G. Johnson 2 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			15 plays, 85 yards, TOP 7:55	10 - 59
	00:30	ODU	D. Washington 5 yd run (J. Brown kick)
			8 plays, 30 yards, TOP 4:24	10 - 66

Kickoff time: 6 p.m. • End of Game: 8:40 PM • Total elapsed time: 2:40 Referee: Steve Barth • Umpire: Gregory Adams • Linesman: Jerry Harris • Line judge: George Geiss • Back judge: Ivan Daniels • Field judge: Victor Sanchez • Side judge: Tony Meyer • Temperature: 69 • Wind: NE 14 • Weather: CLOUDY