ORLANDO, FL (WTKR)- Bowl week is a chance for teams to celebrate its accomplishments, spend time together as a group and cap the campaign off with one more clash on the gridiron.
"There's a little more pomp and circumstance to the whole thing," Old Dominion head coach Ricky Rahne said. "Ultimately, when the ball is kicked off, it's the same and I think that's what I've been trying to tell the guys."
The Monarchs have quite a bit of which they can be proud, posting their best mark since 2016 at 9-3, finishing 6-2 in the Sun Belt and posting a perfect 6-0 record at home. Now the silver and blue have a chance to pick up that coveted tenth victory as they take the field for the Cure Bowl against South Florida, a quest that's become somewhat of a rallying cry for the coaches and players.
"We just want to leave the foundation for the next team going on," said redshirt senior offensive lineman Stephon Dubose-Bourne. "This is what we did and y'all can do it, too. You know, just keep stacking up."
"It's not like we're trying to win all 10 in one week," Rahne pointed out. "To go 1-0 this week and get us a tenth win would be important for our program."
While the transfer portal has led many players to opt out of bowl games, nearly every player on the roster is in Orlando for Wednesday's contest. Quarterback Colton Joseph is the only notable Monarch who did not make the trip, meaning Rahne's squad will be pretty close to full strength, which isn't as common as it used to be in this day and age of college football.
"I think we're playing a team that's going to be very similar," the head coach noted. "I think that's really cool. It's two groups that enjoy playing with and for each other and they want to finish it out the right way."
"I think it definitely reflects how close and tight this team is," added senior defensive end Kris Trinidad. "Regardless of what's going on, we all want to finish this thing out the right way and I feel like that started in the offseason."
Plenty is there for the taking for the Monarchs on Wednesday. They can win a bowl game for just the second time in program history, pick up that tenth victory and give the seniors a chance to ride off into the sunset with one final triumph.
"It would mean everything," Dubose-Bourne said. "Emotionally it just would mean a lot and I know we've got to go out there and do the work to go get it."
"It would give us something tangible with a bowl ring that we can remember a really special team about," Rahne said. "Give us a trophy and have a way to say 'alright, this is that team and every time you look at it, you're going to remember.'"
Old Dominion and South Florida kick off in the Cure Bowl on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
