NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Fans of Old Dominion football might not have any fingernails left after the way the season has gone for the Monarchs. 2023 has seen close games and ODU go hand-in-hand.
Saturday's 28-24 loss to Coastal Carolina marks the Monarchs' eighth consecutive one-score game this season. The down-to-the wire affairs have become the trend of the campaign, with some going the silver and blue's way, others not.
"Win or lose, you've got to be able to refocus, either from an extreme high or a low," head coach Ricky Rahne said Monday. "It's just one of those things where I think our guys have a great amount of experience being able to refocus."
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Old Dominion's four losses in one-score contests have come by a combined 16 points. The Monarchs (4-5, 3-3 in the Sun Belt) have also won their fair share of dramatic contests with strong defensive stands. ODU's defensive unit made game-saving stops in wins over Southern Mississippi, Appalachian State, Louisiana and Texas A&M-Commerce.
Rahne points out it shows the fight and resiliency of his team, but close losses don't hurt any more or less than the blowouts.
"I think it shows that our guys are a resilient team that's going to find a way to fight to the very, very end," he noted. "I don't think the one score games affect us long-term or anything like that. If anything, it gives us more experience with what to do in those situations."
"It's just very frustrating to lose in general," added senior offensive lineman Leroy Thomas. "I don't know if them being close makes it that much worse."
The Monarchs hit the road to face Liberty on Saturday, the second time they'll face a Top 25 team on the road in the commonwealth in three weeks. ODU fell at James Madison on October 28, 30-27. It will be a challenge, but one for which Rahne feels the conference helps prepare him and his team.
"I think we've just played a bunch of good football teams this year and I think this is where the Sun Belt schedule helps us and gets us ready for these type of situations."
The Flames enter with a 9-0 record and rank fifth in the country in total offense (501 yards per game). They're also second in the nation when it comes to rushing yards (283.3) and No. 12 nationally in points per game (39.1).
Old Dominion and Liberty kick off at 1:00 PM on Saturday afternoon in Lynchburg.
