Jesse, BC Wilson, and that old curmudgeon Jerome Spencer are live blogging from the game. Most recent is on top. If you have any questions, send Jesse an email. We’ll answer them (jesse@24sevencities.com) Here goes…

Final score 31-28 with an ODU loss. Will we see tears from these clowns? Oh god please no.

Looming loss...

Win, damn it, Win! says Coach Wilder.

8:48pm Oh no. Monmouth just got a first down at ODU’s 22. They should be able to run out this clock by taking knees… For you optimists out there, we don’t know where BC is right now. Take that how you will.

I almost smashed my Mac against the press box window trying to get this picture of Jerome.

8:36pm “I wonder if some of these players not on the field are coached in crowd hyping, because they’re really good at it,” Jerome says. He’s back!

8:34pm Touchdown ODU after Monmouth loses an ODU punt. 31-28 with 6:56 left. I think Jerome might be in a pretzel coma (the only snack left). “Three point game,” he just slurred like a character from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, then looked to me for approval. “Yes, Jerome,” I said, patting him lovingly. “Three points.”

8:32pm ODU down 10 with 7:18 to go in regulation. They’ve got the ball on their own 43. QB in shotgun… and hits the receiver for a 15 yard gain!… but the receiver drops the ball when he gets crunched by a Monmouth receiver. Damn. “When you hit someone real hard you probably shouldn’t dance over them. I don’t care if this is a sport,” says Jerome.

Down ten with 9:17 to go? It's about time to start chewing our pinkies off. Not *quite* yet, but this guy's ready.

That's a forced smile. Before we put the camera on him he looked like he was watching himself get a vasectomy.

8:22pm (BC) Monmouth TD. Score is 31-21. The crowd is … quiet. And here’s Jesse!

8:20pm (BC) The crowd is hoping for a turnover here. Monmouth is leading in the fourth quarter, 24-21. ODU needs to KEEP WINNING. Defeat is not an option! While I was writing that, Monmouth just ran 52 yards for a first down.

8:18pm (BC) Wonder if we’ll go out for beers after this….I’m not going to suggest Cogans.

8:15pm (BC) By the end of one of these games, the cheerleaders and dancers are like five pounds lighter and exhausted, and the fans are like ten pounds heavier and drunk. Just sayin.

8:13 Third quarter is over. No shows or fun stuff during this break, although I’m sure they’re showing some fun commercials for hair products and local car dealerships on the TV version.

8:12pm (BC) Just sent Jesse out into the crowd with the camera. We can watch him run around the stadium from up here, see if he gets into any trouble.

8:05pm Ouch! A Monmouth receiver was open in the end zone for so long he was able to do an entire verse of the Electric Slide, knit a winter sweater for his grandma, and ponder in an existential way, Just what does football mean. Needless to say, touchdown Monmouth, who’s now up 24-21 with 1:31 left in the 3rd.

The Monmouth fans are fairly docile in their corner of the stadium. This girl on the left looks as spooked as a cat in the road.

7:59pm ODU just scored to go up 21-17. The crowd goes wild. Jerome keeps texting. BC notices an especially glittery fan. All is well in the world.

Check tomorrow's Pilot for what sordid, disgusting crimes these tubas committed to end up in tuba jail.

7:57pm Just noticed the students haven’t sat down yet. God bless them. Shame they sat the people from the old person home behind the students.

Inspired by Journey, the ODU receivers ran so fast they blurred themselves.

7:49pm This is Jesse again. We were down by the field while they were singing “Don’t Stop Believing.” It felt like the crowd was singing it at us. “Is this what it feels like to be in Journey during a concert?” I asked. “Why are those cheerleaders wearing pants?” Jerome responded.

7:46pm (BC) Oooh. ODU QB sacked! Is the shine coming off the unbeatable ODU machine? Could they….lose? Oh, wait, Monmouth just fouled the punter. ODU first down! Man, I am sure quick to declare defeat, aren’t I?

7:44pm The entire audience is singing “Don’t Stop Believin’” in perfect harmony.

7:43pm (BC) ODU stopped Monmouth at the 10yd line, but they made the kick. Score ODU 14, Monmouth 17.

7:34pm (This is BC. Jesse and Jerome went down to raid the press room to see if any food is left. I can assure them that the sandwiches are gone). Man, when that cannon went off to signal the beginning of the second half, the windows in the press box shook like the place was under attack.

The band is on the field.

7:18pm That wasn’t true about BC, but we’ve stuck around to watch the band’s halftime show. They sound great, but I can’t seem to figure out what shape they’re making. They kind of look like the shape of a tooth right now. Now it’s the eye of a Thundercat. That can’t be the shape they’re trying for.  “Why do they have a lion chasing around a matador?” Jerome asks. “He’s a lion.”

7:16pm Score is tied at half time. We’re off to the press cave under the west end of the stadium. Roast beef sandwiches, Mountain Dew, and stocky dudes will be plentiful down there. BC is already taking his shirt off in anticipation. “It’s not time for that yet, buddy,” we say, calming him.

7:13pm Some boos in the crowd as the ref misses a possible pass interference call. This press box is almost completely silent. “This isn’t anything like on Everybody Loves Raymond,” Jerome says. “Tell the people that.”

7:11pm 1:42 left. On the 44. ODU is moving the ball with a lot of quick outs and safe routes over the middle. These are the kind of plays you call when you believe your offense can move down the field methodically at will.

7:06pm 14-14, 2:03 left in the half. ODU just got the ball back on their 17 yard line. Two minute drill time. Let’s see what this QB is made of. In other news, the fans seem nervous. I liked them better happy and optimistic. I also like Jerome better happy and optimistic, but what can you do.

7:02pm Please don’t do the wave… please don’t do the wave… please don’t do the wave. Oh crap. Our fans just did the wave.

6:59pm ODU just had a 60 yard punt. The dummy from this year’s Real World claimed to be a “free agent NFL punter.” Oh that’s interesting, I’m a free agent writer for the New Yorker.

6:56pm Monmouth has tied the score. They got a funky offense. Looks like if ODU wants to avoid its first loss they’re going to have to fight for it.

6:38pm In between quarters they hand you a sheet of stats. ODU quarterback Thomas DeMarco already has 141 yards and 2 TDs. I don’t care if this is D1AA. Those are some gauudddy numbers.

Hey bachelors.

One of these things is not like the others...

6:35pm End of the first quarter, score is 14-7 for ODU. The stadium is packed and in great spirits. These people are decidedly happier about their lives right now than they were a couple hours ago thanks to this.

6:32pm BC is supposedly down on the field taking pictures, but we can’t see him down there. “I think he has suited up,” Jerome says. “And I suspect he is number 4 who just made that nice catch.”

6:28pm An ODU cheerleader was just walked to the sideline to seek medical attention. “It seems like the cure for her injury is a paper towel,” Jesse says. “She’s bleeding from the mouth. This is news,” says Jerome.

6:25pm “Just start typing what the guy behind you is saying,” Jerome whispers. He then notices the intro of this blog. “And why do I have to be a curmudgeon?”

6:23pm It’s 14-7 ODU with 5:15 left in the 1st. Monmouth seems to be switching out it’s quarterback a lot in some sort of direct snap system. The wild cat, a system just like this, is all the vogue in the NFL right now; it’s what Vick will be playing in with the Eagles. And that’s… uhm… all I have to say about that.

6:17pm  “This is a crappy view,” says Jerome as he sits down in the press box. “You’re sitting in front of a pole,” Jesse responds.

6:10pm    They start these things on time? We just walked in and it’s already 14-0.

As a primer, take a look at this post, where we talk about the letter ODU Coach Wilder sent to the students to get them “ALL JACKED UP AND WHAT NOT!!” about today’s game.