ODU football loses at Marshall, 27-7

Ray Lawry rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown but Old Dominion University football fell at Marshall 27-7 Saturday evening at Marshall.

Marshall improves to 4-1 with the win while the Monarchs drop to 2-3 and head into a bye week.

Marshall got on the board first as they forced an ODU fumble at the 10-yardline and on the next play Chase Litton hit Deon-Tay McManus for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

The Thundering Herd went up 14-0 with a one-yard touchdown run by Tony Pittman. The score capped a 13 play, 85-yard drive.

Early in the third quarter Marshall made it 21-0 on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Chase Litton to Ryan Yurachek.

Nick Smith kicked field goals of 37 and 39 yards to put Marshall on top 27-0 early in the fourth quarter.

ODU broke the shutout bid with a six play, 60-yard drive with a 10-yard Lawry touchdown run. A 23-yard pass from Shuler Bentley to Zach Pascal set up Lawry’s touchdown run.

ODU started the day by forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff as Shadow Williams forced a fumble that was recovered by Marvin Branch. ODU went four plays and out on the following possession.

The next Marshall possession Fellonte Misher forced a Pittman fumble that Pat Toal recovered for the Monarchs.

TJ Ricks had a game-high 13 tackles for the Monarchs, his third game of the season with 10 or more tackles and just one off his career-best.  Justice Davila added nine tackles for the Monarchs.

Bentley finished the day 13-of-35 for 101 yards and two interceptions. Lawry carried 29 times for 160 yards and a touchdown and had four receptions for 12 yards. Pascal caught three passes for 60 yards.

Notes: ODU game captains were quarterback Shuler Bentley, running back Ray Lawry, safety Justice Davila and safety Fellonte Misher … Today’s game is the third this season that featured rain. Both the Norfolk State and Appalachian State games did as well … C.J. Bradshaw started his first career game at safety today for the Monarchs … Pat Toal recovered the first fumble of his career in the first quarter as did Marvin Branch on the opening kickoff … Fellonte Misher forced a fumble for the second-straight game … Jeremy Cox started for the first time in his career at running back … Anthony Wilson’s blocked punt was ODU’s first blocked kick since Eriq Lewis blocked a punt last season at UTEP … Ray Lawry had his eighth career 100-yard rushing game with 160 yards … Freshman Chris Kirtley kicked the first extra point of his career … ODU ran a season-high 80 plays … With his 160-yard game, Lawry is two yards shy of passing Colby Goodwyn as ODU’s all-time leading rusher.