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By Harry Minium

Old Dominion finished off one of the finest football seasons in school history with one of ���Ϲ�’s biggest victories ever as the Monarchs rallied to defeat South Florida, 24-10, in the 11th annual StaffDNA Cure Bowl Wednesday night at Camping World Stadium.

���Ϲ� finished with 10 victories for the first time since 2016, and it was quite an accomplishment given that the Monarchs tackled a rugged schedule that included two Power 4 schools, including No. 1 Indiana.

The Monarchs (10-3) earned the right to be called one of the best teams in school history. ���Ϲ� finished with a six-game winning streak, and earlier claimed one of the University’s most memorable road victories, a 45-26 triumph at Virginia Tech.

It was televised nationally by ESPN and bled into prime time.

Both teams dearly wanted to win and the game was physical and chippy. Both quarterbacks, ���Ϲ�’s and USF’s Gaston Moore, were knocked out of the game on hard tackles. Henicle returned. Moore did not.

Henicle, who played sparingly this season, made just his second career start and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. He rushed 24 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard TD run with 4:57 left that clinched the victory.

“He didn’t have anywhere near his best game,” ���Ϲ� Head Coach said. “But he was still able to will the team to a win. In the fourth quarter, on our four-minute drive, he kept his legs going and just kept dragging people. He has so much competitiveness and fight in him.”

South Florida had defeated nationally ranked Florida and Boise State and was just four points away from playing in the American Conference championship game.

But on this day, the Monarchs had the better team.

���Ϲ� outgained the Bulls, 382-333, and the Monarch defense, which stood tall the second half of the season, forced five turnovers.

It was the first bowl game victory for Rahne in three tries and came just days after he signed a new, four-year contract.

He was in tears when he accepted the Cure Bowl trophy from game officials. He immediately passed it to fifth-year defensive tackle .

“We had so many fifth-year guys, guys like , who stuck around,” Rahne said. “And that’s a rare thing in college athletics. I'm so glad for these guys that they were able to win a championship, to be able to hoist up a bowl game trophy. They've earned rings and those rings will remind them for the rest of the guys of their teammates, and the very special team they played for this season."

Both teams came into the game with high-scoring offenses led by prolific quarterbacks. But ���Ϲ�’s and Byrum Brown elected not to play. Henicle had started just one game and Moore had never started.

Their lack of experience showed as both offenses struggled early-on.

Henicle got off to a shaky start. Midway through the first quarter, the Bulls stripped the ball from Henicle, who fumbled at the USF 22. It was recovered at the 37 by safety Fred Gaskin and returned 22 yards to the ���Ϲ� 41.

That led to a 28-yard Nico Gramatica field goal and a 3-0 USF lead nine minutes into the first quarter.

But then ���Ϲ�’s offense, especially Henicle, settled down.

Henicle orchestrated a near perfect driving, completing all four passes he attempted for 48 yards. Henicle then finished off the drive with a seven-yard touchdown drive, and ���Ϲ� took a 7-3 lead with 42 seconds left in the first quarter.

USF then retook the lead, 10-7, on a drive that began with a flea flicker for a 25-yard pass from Moore to Jeremiah Koger.

Moore then rushed his team back to the line of scrimmage, and he tossed 31 yards for a touchdown to Koger with 7:32 left in the first half.

USF threatened again in the waning minutes of the second quarter, but intercepted at the 20.

On USF’s first possession of the second half, gave the Monarchs good field position with his fifth interception of the season, which tied a school record. He would break that record in the fourth quarter with another interception.

He returned it 26 yards to the USF 25. On third down, rushed 22 yards for a touchdown – he was untouched on a handoff up the middle -- and the Monarchs led, 14-10, five minutes into the second half.

After Gramatica missed a 39-yard field goal, running back reeled off 35 yards and the Monarchs were in business. Roche finished with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries.

Then came one of the game’s critical plays. As Henicle was running at the USF 18, he was pummeled with a head-first tackle by USF’s De’Shawn Rucker. Henicle fumbled and the Bulls recovered.

Although no flag was thrown, the replay crew took about five minutes to review the play, and assessed Rucker for targeting. He was ejected from the game and ���Ϲ� had a first and goal at the 9.

Henicle lost his helmet and appeared shaken but after freshman threw an incomplete pass, he returned to the game.

"I didn't think it was that hard of a hit," he said. "It was just football. When you get hit like that, you get up and you get back into the game.

"I wasn't going to allow them to take me out of the game."

Rahne said that he had his training staff check Henicle out three times to make sure there was no concussion.

"His Mom," Rahne said of Jen Henicle, with a laugh, "is an awesome Mom. But she's a quarterback's Mom and feisty and I'm afraid of quarterback Moms. We made sure he was OK."

The Monachs were forced to settle for a 24-yard field goal, and ���Ϲ� led 17-10, with 3:27 left in the third quarter.

By then, USF was without Moore, who had been knocked out of the game by ���Ϲ� linebacker Jeremy Mack with a clean but hard hit on the previous Bulls’ possession.  

USF never again got close to scoring.

Monarch Nation showed up in big numbers. Nearly 2,000 ���Ϲ� faithful were in the stands and more than 500 participated in a pregame tailgate sponsored by the ���Ϲ� Alumni Association.

At times, Camping World Stadium resembled ���Ϲ�'s home field, as Monarch fans were more engaged than those from USF.

"I love and appreciate our fans," Rahne said. "They not only showed up in big numbers, they were loud. I appreciate each and every one of them for being here.

"This bowl victory was all about our players. This team plays hard for each other, and they way the game is supposed to be played."

USF Interim Head Coach Kevin Patrick, who has known Rahne for decades, praised Monarchs.

“With the culture coach Rahne has built, that’s a tough group,” he said. "They've got a lot of talent and played so hard. They’re a class act and they did a hell of a job. They should be very proud.”

Notes – Quarterback made his first start of the season and second of his career … made his first career start at safety … Henicle’s six-yard touchdown run was his first of the season and fourth of his career … tied the ���Ϲ� single season record with his fifth interception, tying who had five picks in 2011 … registered his sixth touchdown of the season … Henicle rushed for 107 yards on a career high 24 carries and two touchdowns. In two career starts, he has rushed for a combined 313 yards and four touchdowns. He had 19 carries for 206 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas State in his lone start last season … had 19 carries for 100 yards. It was his third 100-yard rushing game in the last four … It was the second straight game ���Ϲ� had a pair of 100-yard rushers … intercepted two passes to give him the single season program record, passing ’ five interceptions in 2011 … recorded his first career interception to seal the game … Jeremy Mack tied his career high with 11 tackles and added a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.