Old Dominion hosts Norfolk State (1-0). The market has Old Dominion favored by 41.
What’s at stake
Old Dominion
- A win puts Old Dominion a step closer to a 1% shot at the CFP field.
- Old Dominion hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent since 2018.
Norfolk State
- Norfolk State is coming off a 56-point win.
The series
Old Dominion leads the series 4-0
4 meetings since 2011 · Old Dominion has won the last 4
- 2019Old Dominion 24–21
- 2015Old Dominion 24–10
- 2013Old Dominion 27–24
- 2011 · neutral siteOld Dominion 35–18
Face-off
What each fanbase carries into this one.
Norfolk State
The chip · vs big brotherThe fanbase knows the Battle of the Bay crowd is real—21,000+ fans showing up every year despite losing seasons. Norfolk State punches above its weight in fan loyalty, and the institution is banking on Vick to deliver a product worthy of that devotion.
What this game touches
The 2025 collapse and the Vick gamble. Norfolk State went 1–11 (0–5 MEAC) in 2025, a catastrophic season marked by 1,100+ penalty yards and offensive futility. Head coach Michael Vick, the former NFL MVP and Atlanta Legends offensive coordinator, took over in 2026. The wound is fresh but the remedy is high-profile: the institution is betting that Vick's name, credibility, and coaching vision can shock the program back to relevance.
Old Dominion
The chip · vs the blue bloodsOld Dominion has beaten Virginia Tech three times now, and the 2025 rout in Blacksburg was the first on the Hokies' own field — a program that didn't exist a generation ago putting a Power Four neighbor on the floor. The fanbase keeps those nights close.
What this game touches
Built from nothing, doubted every step. Old Dominion didn't field a team between 1941 and 2009 — it had to construct an FBS program from scratch in the Tidewater. The wound is the doubt that follows a young program: that the Virginia Tech wins are flukes and that a school this new can't sustain a winner. The 2025 season was the loudest answer yet.
Best players
Old Dominion
- Jordan Saunders (S) · 3 tackles
- Mario Easterly (S) · 2025: 80 tackles
- Jeremy Mack Jr. (LB) · 2025: 75 tackles
The line, and the room
The model and the market don’t fully agree on Old Dominion’s chances here.
Home −41 · O/U 52.5
Conditions
77°F · 6 mph wind · Rain Shower
Old Dominion is 52% at home, 29% on the road since 2018 (22-20 home, 12-30 away).