NORFOLK — If Old Dominion made a statement Saturday, it might’ve been this:

Anything whole is never made of less than two halves.

Colton Joseph passed for 257 yards and three touchdowns, and the Monarchs used a downright pyrotechnic third quarter to cruise to a thorough 54-6 win over North Carolina Central in their home opener at S.B. Ballard Stadium.

ODU (1-1) opened the home portion of its season with a victory for the fourth time in five tries since sixth-year coach Ricky Rahne took over the program before the COVID-canceled 2020 season.

N.C. Central (1-2), a Football Championship Subdivision program that plays in the MEAC with Norfolk State, received $315,000 in guaranteed money from ODU to make the trip to Norfolk.

The Monarchs, behind an explosive offense and an unyielding defense, made sure to get their money’s worth.

ODU scored 28 consecutive points in the third quarter, which started with the Monarchs leading 16-3 and ended with them ahead 44-6.

Trequan Jones carried five times for 163 yards for ODU, including touchdown runs of 39 and 93 yards, as well as an inconsequential 14-yard score early in the fourth quarter to help account for the final margin.

The Monarchs, who had four touchdown drives of at least 62 yards, outgained N.C. Central 545-224 in total offense.

ODU visits Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Joseph’s 34-yard scoring pass on fourth down put the Monarchs ahead 44-3 with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter, and many in the announced crowd of 18,111 — already sparse to the naked eye — began descending the stadium’s stairs.

Joseph’s 2-yard touchdown run around the right end put ODU ahead 37-3 with 5:19 left in the third quarter. The score was set up by Brandon Crutchfield’s interception return to the N.C. Central 18.

Joseph found a wide-open Ja’Cory Thomas on a bootleg right for a 4-yard touchdown pass that gave ODU a 30-3 lead midway through the third quarter.

Jones scored on a program-record 93-yard touchdown run — right through the gut of the defense — to put the Monarchs ahead 23-3 less than four minutes into the third quarter.

Kaleb Robison’s 39-yard field goal closed the Eagles’ deficit to 16-3 in the final seconds of the first half.

ODU took a 16-0 lead with 2:30 left before halftime on Joseph’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding. The score followed Jerome Carter’s first career interception, which set the Monarchs up at their 31 after a penalty on the return.

Old Dominion receiver Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (7) shucks a tackle attempt from North Carolina Central defender Malcolm Reed (2) for a touchdown in the second quarter. Old Dominion faced North Carolina Central at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sept. 6, 2025. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot)

ODU went ahead 9-0 on a 39-yard run up the middle by Jones with 1:59 to go in the first quarter.

The Monarchs took a 2-0 lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter when Eagles punter Brandon Bowman bobbled a snap just outside of the goal line. Bowman fumbled, and the Eagles recovered in the end zone for a gifted safety.

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/09/06/huge-second-half-lifts-odu-to-win-in-home-opener/