Full Game Book

CONWAY, South Carolina - ODU (6-7) opened the 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl with a bang, as KR LaMareon James took the opening kickoff back 100 yards for the opening touchdown. Tulsa (7-6) then responded and ultimately outscored the Monarchs 30-10 the rest of the way to leave South Carolina with the win, 30-17. 

RB Blake Watson carried 14 times for 77 yards and a touchdown, but the Monarchs’ offense struggled to get going until the fourth quarter on Monday afternoon. Watson, an honorable mention All-Conference selection by the C-USA head football coaches, finished his impressive 2021 season with 1,112 yards and eight touchdowns on the year. 

WR Ali Jennings III, also an honorable mention All-Conference selection for the Monarchs, finished with six catches for 74 yards. He concludes his season with 62 catches for 1,066 yards and five scores.

Four ODU defenders recorded 10 or more tackles on Monday - DB R’Tarriun Johnson (13), LB Jordan Henderson (13) and S Terry Jones (12). LB Jordan Young finished with 10 stops and 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack.

Old Dominion was one of the better stories of the 2021 college football season, rebounding from a 1-6 start to finish the regular season with five consecutive wins to earn bowl eligibility. ODU did so under head coach Ricky Rahne, technically in his second season, though ODU opted not to play in 2020 due to COVID-19. Rahne led the Monarchs to six wins in his first season on the sidelines, more wins than the Monarchs had posted in 2019 (one) and 2018 (four) combined.