Inside the Sun Belt · recap

The Monarchs could not complete the comeback

On Tuesday we wrote a preview about Max Johnson. He came in with 1,572 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions, and the argument was that Old Dominion had not faced a passer like him all season.

On Thursday night he completed six of eight passes, got hurt in the first half, and did not come back. WTOC in Savannah reported it was his throwing shoulder.

Georgia Southern 23, Old Dominion 15.

The backup

Turner Helton had thrown eight passes all season. He finished 23 of 30 for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception. WTOC identified him as the son of Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton.

Around him, Georgia Southern held the ball for 36:26 and had 28 first downs to Old Dominion's 16. Terrance Gibbs scored both of their touchdowns, one on an 11-yard run and one on an 11-yard catch.

What won at App State did not work Thursday

That was our heading on Tuesday, and it held.

In Boone a week earlier, Old Dominion held the ball for 38:50 and ran for 207 yards. On Thursday they held it for 23:34 and ran for 65. Devin Roche carried 15 times for 25 yards.

The defense did hold up on third down. Georgia Southern came in converting 41.2 percent and went 3 for 12. They still finished with 28 first downs.

Georgia Southern was penalized 13 times for 120 yards and Old Dominion 12 times for 100.

Nine points in the second quarter

It was 7-7 after one quarter. Tripp Bryant then kicked field goals from 33, 43 and 31 yards, and it was 16-7 at halftime.

The first of those came after an Old Dominion fumble at its own 46. The second came after Old Dominion went for it on fourth down at the Georgia Southern 33 and did not get it.

The offense did score, twice

The first thing the preview asked for was a touchdown from the offense. Old Dominion got two.

The first was the opening drive of the game: 12 plays, 75 yards and just under six minutes, finished by Quinn Henicle throwing 20 yards to Leon Haughton Jr.

The second came early in the fourth quarter, after Javen Gibson intercepted Helton. Old Dominion went 86 yards in three plays. Ryan Huff threw 71 yards to TJ Johnson for the touchdown and then found Haughton for two, and it was 23-15 with 11:13 left.

Both quarterbacks played again, and both threw a touchdown. Henicle was 6 of 10 for 84 and Huff was 9 of 14 for 115. Neither threw an interception.

The last eleven minutes

Old Dominion had the ball twice more, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion each time.

The first drive started at its own 10, went ten plays and 38 yards, and ended in a punt from its own 48 with a little under six minutes left.

The second started at its own 5 with 1:49 left and ended four plays later with a fumble at the 15.

Ballard

The announced crowd was 17,912.

The preview noted that attendance had dropped at every home game: 21,944 for Norfolk State, 21,444 for East Carolina and 20,035 for James Madison. On Thursday night, on ESPN2, it dropped again, by a little more than two thousand.

Where it leaves them

Old Dominion is 2-5 and 1-3 in the Sun Belt. Georgia Southern is 3-4.

Old Dominion had beaten Georgia Southern three straight times, including 45-10 last season. That run is over.

Louisiana Tech is next, on the road, on Saturday.