NORFOLK, Va. (Courtesy of ODU Athletics) – Texas State rolled into S.B. Ballard Stadium with the Sun Belt Conference’s most prolific offense and was led by a quarterback who was the league’s best player a year ago.

But led by a swarming defense that held the Bobcats to a season low in points, and a redshirt freshman quarterback beginning to come into his own, the Monarchs upset Texas State, 24-14, Saturday before a homecoming crowd of 19,129.

The victory moved ODU (3-4 overall, 2-1 Sun Belt) into a second place tie with Marshall (4-3, 2-1) in the Sun Belt East. Coincidentally, the Monarchs host Sun Belt East leader Georgia Southern (5-2, 3-0) Thursday night in a game to be televised nationally on ESPN2. 

A victory would leave the Monarchs tied for the East Division lead, and that would be quite a fete for a team that began the season 0-3 but has since won three of its last four games.

Georgia Southern defeated James Madison, 28-14, Saturday in Statesboro, Georgia. 

Colton Joseph, the redshirt freshman from Newport Beach, California, has been ODU’s offensive spark since he took over at quarterback in the second half of a 30-27 victory over Bowling Green on September 28.

He rushed 16 times for 111 yards and scored all three of ODU’s touchdowns. He also completed 15-of-28 passes for 130 yards.

ODU’s defense limited the Bobcats to 359 yards, 118 below their average, and shut out Texas State in the first half. 

Texas State had been averaging 25.1 points in the first half and had outscored their opponents, 86-13, in the first quarter.

It was an emotional victory for Ricky Rahne, the ODU head coach, who teared up while doing a postgame radio interview. Three of his closest friends from his playing days at Cornell attended Saturday’s game.

“I told our guys (after the game) that college football is the best time of your life,” Rahne said. “I have three of my friends from college here today. They are three of the best human beings that I possibly know.

“That’s exactly what you have when you play football. Their teammates are friends they’re going to have the rest of the lives. It was awesome for them to win a game like this together.”

ODU led 14-0 and 17-7, but with 5:16 left, the Bobcats pulled to within three, 17-14. 

Texas State quarterback Jordan McCloud led the Bobcats on a 71-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass hauled on by Beau Sparks, who made a diving catch in the right corner of the end zone.

ODU’s offense had generated little yardage on its previous two possessions, but tasked with getting first downs and running down the clock, the Monarchs succeeded.

“I told them go to out there and win the game, and that’s what they did,” Rahne said. 

Joseph began the possesion with a 25-yard run and the Monarchs then got two more first downs while milking precious minutes off the clock.

ODU faced a fourth and two at the Texas State 31 with just under two minutes left. Rahne initially began to signal for the field goal unit, but then thought better of it.

“I said (bleep) it, let’s go for it,” he said. “I thought (Texas State coach) G.J. Kinne was going to go for the touchdown and not the field goal, so I didn’t think six points would help us.”

The Monarchs called on Aaron Young, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior transfer from Rutgers, to get the first down, and he did, bowling over a Texas State defender for a three-yard gain.

Young is the younger brother of Jordan Young, who was a standout linebacker for ODU and is a graduate assistant for the Monarchs.

“When you have a guy like Aaron Young back there, you trust him to go out and get that yardage, and he certainly did,” Rahne said. “That family, I’ve been lucky enough to coach two of them and they have a lot of heart. You’re blessed to be able to coach guys like that.”

Joseph then carried around the left end for a 28-yard touchdown run that made it a two-score game.

Angelo Rankin Jr. then sealed the victory with an interception on Texas State’s first play from scrimmage, one that he caught while diving backwards.

Defensive back Jahron Manning, who had a career high 14 tackles, said the victory “was a big confidence booster.”

“But,” he added, “But we must remain hungry and stay hungry.”

McCloud, who won Sun Belt Player of the Year honors last year while playing at James Madison, had his worst game of the season. He completed 17-of-33 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions. 

He was sacked twice and ran eight times for a net of 15 yards.

McCloud finally got Texas State’s offense uncranked in the third quarter as he led the Bobcats on a 52-yard, four-play touchdown drive. He opened the drive with a 40-yard pass to Joey Hobert and finished it off with a four-yard touchdown run with 7:34 left in the third quarter.

ODU then committed its first turnover, a fumble at the 50 recovered by Chris Mills, and the Bobcats quickly drove 33 yards to the ODU 17, where the drive stalled.

Mason Shipley, the All-Sun Belt placekicker in 2023, then attempted a 34-yard field goal, but it bounced off the left upright and fell harmlessly back onto the field.

ODU placekicker Ethan Sanchez, however, was true when called on to kick a 32-yard field goal that gave ODU a 17-7 lead with 9:43 left.

Shipley later came on to attempt a 53-yarder and it was wide right.

Texas State’s deepest penetration in the first half was to the ODU 35, and that possession ended with a turnover.

On third and seven from the 35, McCloud overthrew a receiver and it was intercepted by Markus Knight, who returned it 52 yards to the Texas State 18.

On fourth and three from the 11, Rahne elected to go for it, and Joseph passed seven yards to Devin Roche for the first down. Joseph then rolled around the left end untouched for the four-yard touchdown run with 1:47 left in the first quarter. 

ODU then got its running game going late in the second quarter as Joseph led the Monarchs on a 58-yard drive in which he carried six times for 45 yards, including an 11-yard scramble for a touchdown.

“Really gritty, very gutsy,” Rahne said when asked how Joseph is playing.

“He’s not always perfect, but he continues to grow, he continues to make plays when you need him to. I mean, he’s made some unbelieveably clutch plays.”

Rahne made a plea for ODU fans to turn out Thursday 

“I hope all of Monarch nation comes out and that we can pack the stands and show the nation what we are all about,” he said. “This is an opportunity to showcase ODU and the 757.

“You know, I love this place. I love living here. I hope everyone comes out and we can really show out and they can really put some beautiful images of our stadium and campus and our area on national TV.”