The Old Dominion Monarchs fully joined the FBS in 2014 and rapidly acclimated to the highest level of college football, producing a 10-3 record in 2016. However, through the 2024 season, that was the only winning season Old Dominion ever produced. That changed in 2025, and the program reached a new pinnacle on Wednesday night in Orlando.
Sixth-year head coach Ricky Rahne rattled off nine regular season wins to seal Old Dominion’s second winning record as an FBS program, and this breakout 2025 aptly concluded with a statement 24-10 upset over South Florida in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl. In the process, the Monarchs earned their biggest win in program history, adding a second bowl trophy to the shelf while tying their FBS record for wins in a season.
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South Florida entered this matchup ranked second in the FBS in points (43.0) and yards (502) per game, lighting up opponents with seven games of 48+ points. Only twice did the Bulls score fewer than 31 all season — an 18-16 win over Florida and a 49-12 defeat to playoff-bound Miami (FL). USF faced obvious obstacles with the losses of head coach Alex Golesh (to Auburn), quarterback Byrum Brown, and Keshaun Singleton, and the Bulls could not overcome those absences nor the Old Dominion defense.
South Florida registered just 10 points, scoring one first half touchdown and facing a second half shutout to a relentless Monarch bunch. Old Dominion made its presence felt with four sacks and five takeaways, concocting a +4 in the turnover battle against one of the nation’s best turnover-producing teams. Outside linebacker Jeremy Mack totaled a game-high 11 tackles and a sack, while free safety Jerome Carter snagged two interceptions in a 3.5-hour defensive clinic by the boys from Norfolk.
Old Dominion’s offense also faced some pregame adversity, as Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year Colton Joseph opted out of the remainder of the 2025 season, thrusting Quinn Henicle into the starting quarterback spot. Henicle started and won a game in 2024 with 204 rushing yards, and the sophomore’s mobility was on full display in ODU’s massive win. He only completed 11-of-25 passes but made his presence felt on broken plays, scrambling up the middle for massive gains. Even after four sacks he rattled off 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns, delivering a 51-yard blow with 2:32 remaining to put the game out of reach. Henicle, who returned from a brief third quarter injury stemming from a targeting call, won MVP honors for his effort in Orlando.
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South Florida’s backup quarterbacks did not enjoy the same level of production as Henicle. Sixth-year senior Gaston Moore earned his first and last collegiate start at quarterback to replace Byrum Brown, and Moore finished 20-of-28 with 236 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He had one first half sequence where he connected with true freshman Jeremiah Koger for back-to-back 25 and 31-yard pickups — with the latter serving as USF’s lone touchdown. But there wasn’t much explosiveness in the passing game otherwise.
Moore’s last throw was a notable one, and unfortunately for the longtime backup, it was his final collegiate pass. In the fourth quarter, trailing 17-10, he sent a 20-yard strike to JeyQuan Smith at the Old Dominion 14-yard line, and Smith made a spectacular diving grab. However, Moore took a brutal hit while releasing the ball that caused his head to collide with the Camping World Stadium field, ultimately knocking him out of the final 12 minutes.
Protesting the hit, South Florida guard Cole Skinner and interim head coach Kevin Patrick were both assessed with 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalties. Then USF took a sack and holding on the next two plays, ultimately moving the Bulls back from the Old Dominion 14 to their own 38 — a monumental 48-yard difference. USF never even crossed the ODU 40-yard line again, as those penalties proved instrumental in the defeat.
True freshman Locklan Hewlett, whose passing experience was limited to a 45-yard fake punt touchdown in Week 1, finished the effort for the Bulls. But on a 4th and 6 from its own 47-yard line with 3:45 remaining, South Florida made the questionable decision to run a fake punt — this time, without Hewlett disguising as a punter. Punter Chase Leon was intercepted by Jerome Carter on a play that never stood a chance, ultimately putting a dagger in USF’s hopes at a 10-win season.
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Special teams also played a significant role in this contest. Both teams missed two field goals in this game, including several attempts under 40 yards. But special teams ended up favoring Old Dominion overall as the Monarchs denied South Florida of a critical fourth quarter possession. An ODU punt hit a USF gunner two times on Wednesday evening, and on the second occurrence, Monarch long snapper Brendan Durkin made a mid-air recovery after the ball bounced off the gunner and return man.
South Florida (9-4, 6-2 American) missed out on a golden opportunity for its first 10-win season since 2017. The Bulls enjoyed their best season in nearly a decade but it comes to a bitter end, as they will be denied a season-ending ranking — a feat the team hasn’t accomplished in eight years. The Bulls now officially move into the Brian Hartline era, as the Ohio State offensive coordinator relocates to Tampa when the Buckeyes’ playoff run is complete.
Old Dominion (10-3, 6-2 Sun Belt) sealed its best season as an FBS member with a victory for the ages. Two of the three Monarch losses — Indiana and James Madison — are competing in the College Football Playoff, and they now unlock a new signature win by upending South Florida. Ricky Rahne celebrated his first bowl win as head coach, capping off an unforgettable moment in the program’s young history.
