NORFOLK, Va. (WTKR) — It took all 60 minutes to get the job done but Old Dominion will get a shot at home to qualify for a bowl game.
Ethan Sanchez nailed a 22-yard field goal as time expired on Saturday night to pull out a 20-17 win over Georgia Southern.
The Eagles tied the game up at 17 off a Davis Brin touchdown pass to Jjay McAfee with 1:25 left to play. ODU got one more shot and capitalized. With 16 seconds left, Monarch quarterback Grant Wilson broke free on a 28-yard run, sliding down at the five-yard line. One snap later, Sanchez nailed his kick to give ODU the down-to-the-wire win.
Wilson threw for 182 yards with a touchdown pass and a scoring reception. In the third quarter, Ahmarian Granger took a reverse and threw it back to Wilson who broke free down the sidelines for a 30-yard touchdown to give ODU a 17-10 lead.
Granger added three catches for 33 yards to his touchdown pass. Javon Harvey hauled in a scoring reception in the second quarter, his third of the season.
Keshawn Wicks tallied 17 carries for 60 yards, including a 14-yard rush on the first play of ODU's final drive to get things started. The Monarchs would rattle off 70 yards in just seven plays to give Sanchez his shot at the winner.
ODU (5-6) got the win in front of former silver and blue record-breaking quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who plays for the Atlanta Falcons.
With the win, Old Dominion sets up a final game showdown with Georgia State at S.B. Ballard Stadium next Saturday. A win gets Ricky Rahne's group bowl eligible for the second time in three years.
