James’ late touchdown lifts Old Dominion past App State 10–3

Old Dominion held App State without a touchdown and used Maurki James' fourth-quarter score to win 10–3 Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium, ending a four-game losing streak and earning its first Sun Belt victory of the season.

The Monarchs entered Boone with a 1–4 record and two conference losses. They left at 2–4 and 1–2 after an afternoon in which their defense allowed 158 yards, forced three turnovers and kept the Mountaineers from finding an answer to the game's only touchdown. App State fell to 3–2 and opened conference play with a loss.

James broke through from 2 yards with 9:30 remaining. Quinn Henicle then completed the two-point conversion to Josh Rodriguez, turning a 3–2 deficit into a seven-point lead. It finished a nine-play, 70-yard drive and gave Old Dominion enough offense to reward a defense that had kept the game close throughout.

Ja’Mez Drummer intercepted Singleton just before halftime and returned the ball 15 yards, another stop in a first half that ended scoreless.

James London put App State ahead with a 34-yard field goal early in the third quarter, but the Mountaineers' advantage soon shrank when a fumble in their own end zone resulted in a safety. Those two points left Old Dominion within a point entering the final quarter.

Devin Roche supplied much of the Monarchs' running game, carrying 23 times for 101 yards. Henicle added 88 yards on 26 carries while completing 10 of 20 passes for 97 yards. Old Dominion finished with 207 rushing yards and held the ball for 38 minutes, 50 seconds, giving its defense long stretches off the field.

Possession did not make the Monarchs' afternoon comfortable. Henicle threw two interceptions, and Old Dominion lost a fumble. With neither team scoring before halftime, each missed opportunity mattered. The Monarchs ultimately overcame their three turnovers by preventing App State from converting its own chances into touchdowns.

App State quarterbacks Malachi Singleton and Henry Hasselbeck combined to complete seven of 27 passes for 66 yards and two interceptions. The Mountaineers converted one of 13 third downs and went 0-for-2 on fourth down. Javen Gibson recorded two sacks and four tackles for loss for Old Dominion, helping limit the home side to nine first downs.

For the Monarchs, the result followed conference defeats in which James Madison scored 46 points and Georgia State scored 42. Saturday's defensive performance gave them a win before a short turnaround: Old Dominion returns home to face Georgia Southern on Thursday, October 15. App State's first conference game instead ended with its offense unable to reach the end zone.