BLACKSBURG, Va. (ODU Sports) – Old Dominion University Football trailed 23-17 midway through the third quarter, but Virginia Tech pulled away for a 36-17 season-opening win at a sold out Lane Stadium on Saturday night.
In his first career start, Grant Wilson completed 13-of-25 passes for 94 yards and two touchdown passes and led ODU with 81 yards rushing. Keshawn Wicks had 14 carries for a career-high 73 yards and caught a touchdown pass.
Virginia Tech (1-0) jumped out to a 9-0 lead on a safety and a 20-yard Grant Wells to Jaylin Lane touchdown pass.
Old Dominion (0-1) followed with a 12-play, 83-yard drive capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Dominic Dutton.
Wells tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Ali Jennings to push the Tech lead to 23-10 but an Ethan Sanchez 28-yard field goal at the end of the first half made the halftime score 16-10.
The teams traded scores again with a second touchdown by Jennings a Wilson to Wicks six-yard score.
Wells pushed the lead back to double-digits with a one-yard run and a pair of John Love field goals made the final score 36-17.
More to follow on ODUSports.com
Notes: Four players started their first career game at Virginia Tech, linebackers EJ Green and Wayne Matthews, cornerback LaMareon James and quarterback Grant Wilson … True freshman Devin Roche gained 22 yards on his first career carry … Dominic Dutton’s 16-yard touchdown reception was the first catch and touchdown of his career … Grant Wilson’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Dutton was the first of his ODU career … Wilson threw for 94 yards and led ODU with 81 yards and 175 yards of total offense … Keshawn Wicks ran for a career-high 73 yards in the game and caught two passes for 10 yards, including his first career receiving touchdown … Safety Tahj Ra-El had a career-high 12 tackles … Wide receivers Kelby Williams, Dominic Dutton and Reymello Murphy caught their first career passes … Jason Henderson recorded his 16th career double-digit tackle game … EJ Green had a career-best nine tackles and Wayne Matthews notched a career-high eight … Shawn Asbury totaled a career-high eight tackles … Twelve players made their NCAA Division I debut, including Kadarius Calloway, Monterio Smith, Khian’Dre Harris, Reymello Murphy, Dominic Dutton, Devin Roche, Ryan Ramey, Brock Walters, Kelby Williams, Jack Shields, DJ Chandler and Jalen Butler.
