NORFOLK, VA. – Duquesne went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the Football Championship Subdivision for three quarters, before falling 57-23 at No. 6/8 (Coaches/Sports Network) Old Dominion before a sellout crowd of 19,818 at S.B. Ballard Stadium.
The Dukes, who led 20-10 at the half, couldn’t contain the Monarchs who scored 47 second-half points to up their all-time home record to 17-5.
Sophomore Taylor Heinicke completed 41-of-63 passes for 492 yards and four scores to lead the Monarchs. Heinicke, who threw for 25 touchdowns and one interception as a freshman, was picked off three times by the Dukes who turned two of the turnovers into first half touchdowns and the third into a fourth quarter field goal.
The Dukes, who were outgained 723-151, were limited to 23 yards in a second half that saw them outscored 47-3.
Duquesne trailed 27-23 with 11:50 left, before ODU closed out the game with four touchdowns sandwiched around a safety.
Sean Patterson completed 9-of-21 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown for DU. Larry McCoy, who had rushed for at least 74 yards in his past 22 games, was limited to 49 yards on 15 carries.
Old Dominion opened the scoring with a 51-yard Jarod Brown field goal on its first possession. Brown was wide right on a 31-yard attempt on ODU’s next possession as the quarter ended with ODU up 3-0.
McCoy ran for three first downs to set up a 33-yard Patterson to Sean Brady touchdown to put the Dukes up 7-3. ODU was flagged for two pass interferences and a roughing the passer penalty on the play.
Old Dominion drove to the Duquesne 32 before Zach Richert stepped in front of a Heinicke pass and returned it 67 yards to the ODU two. McCoy punched it in on the next play to make it 13-3 as the extra point was blocked.
The Monarchs answered with a 14-yard Heinicke to Antonio Vaughan touchdown pass to cut it to 13-10 with 5:16 left in the half.
With the sellout crowd back into it, true freshman Christian Kuntz, who led the Dukes with 12 tackles, picked off a short pass at the line of scrimmage and raced 49 yards for a score to give the Dukes a 20-10 lead at the half.
ODU took the second half kickoff and drove 69 yards on 12 plays to make it 20-17 on a 2 yard Heinicke to Angus Harper touchdown pass on fourth down. ODU converted a 4th-and-1 at the 19 to keep the drive alive.
The Monarchs forced a punt and drove to the Duquesne three before a holding penalty pushed them back to the 19, resulting in a 31-yard Brown field goal that tied it at 20-20.
ODU made it three scores in three possessions when Heinicke found Nick Mayers with a 7 yard touchdown pass to give the Monarchs their first lead since 3-0 at 27-20.
Jason Douglas returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to give the Dukes a spark before Patterson, backpedaling under heavy pressure was intercepted at the 23 on the next play.
Ben Gartland returned the favor, picking off Heinicke at the 21 two plays later. The Dukes drove to the one before settling for an 18-yard Charlie Leventry field goal to make it 27-23 with 11:50 to go.
Three plays later, Nick Mayers took a 20 yard pass from Heinicke and turned it into 75 yard score to begin the onslaught that put the game out of reach.
Duquesne opens the home season next Saturday against Dayton (0-1) at 12:10 p.m. on Rooney Field.
Photo Credit: Duquesne University
