NORFOLK, Va. – Steven Williams scored from six yards out with 37 seconds left to give Old Dominion a 24-21 win over Rice Saturday night at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. Miklo Smalls scored for Rice with 2:05 left on a three-yard run to put the Owls up 21-17, but ODU drove 75-yards in 1:28 to take a 24-21 lead with 37 seconds left. Sean Carter intercepted Smalls to seal the win for the Monarchs.
Williams starred in ODU’s game-winning drive, starting the drive with a nine yard run followed by a five-yard first down run by Lawry. Williams hit Lawry and Marques Little for back-to-back first downs, before firing to Melvin Vaughn for 10-yards to convert a third and four to the Rice six to set up the game-winner. Late in the third quarter Lawry put Old Dominion (5-6, 3-4) on top 17-7 with a five-yard run, but Rice scored twice in the fourth quarter to take the 21-17 lead.
Rice (1-10, 1-6) got on the board first with a five play, 53-yard drive as Austin Walter ran in from eight yards out to give the Owls the 7-0 lead. On ODU’s third drive of the game the Monarchs drove 80-yards in eight plays, capped by a 24-yard touchdown run from Steven Williams. Brandon Sinclair carried twice on the drive for 24-yards, while Isaiah Harper caught four passes on the drive for 30-yards.
ODU took its first lead of the contest on a 32-yard field goal by Nice Rice. The drive was a 15 play, 65-yard drive. Williams was 20-of-29 for 188 yards and no turnovers, while adding 46 yards on the ground and two scores. Lawry carried 18 times for 110-yards and a scored, and three catches for 26-yards. Little let the team with five catches for 53-yards. Jordan Young registered a career-best 14 tackles.