Stunning. Entertaining. Record-setting. And, ultimately, heartbreaking.

That was the kind of day it Saturday was for the University of New Hampshire during a 64-61 loss to Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va., that set a Colonial Athletic Association record for points in a game.

The fifth-ranked Monarchs (4-0, 1-0) rallied from 23 points down in the second half, completing the comeback when Jarod Brown booted a 25-yard field goal with 41 seconds left.

A last gasp drive by UNH (2-2, 0-1) ended when sophomore quarterback Andy Vailas was intercepted with six seconds left and the Wildcats just over midfield.

Vailas, of Bedford, threw for 336 yards and five touchdowns, but was overshadowed by the record-setting day of ODU quarterback Taylor Heinicke.

The sophomore set a Division I record by passing for 730 yards. He was 55-for-79 with five touchdown tosses and no interceptions. He helped the Monarchs set a FCS record with 824 yards of total offense.

“There were so many guys who caught the ball and ran with it,” UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. “They are very good at utilizing pace and open spaces.’’

The Wildcats stunned the sold out crowd of 20,000 at S.B. Ballard Stadium by recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff and scoring on their first play from scrimmage when Vailas hit Joey Orlando in the end zone from 25 yards out.

They built the lead to 30-10 late in the second quarter when Nico Steriti, who rushed for 201 yards, busted loose on a touchdown run of 61 yards. They were up 37-17 when Vailas hooked up with R.J. Harris for a 73-yard touchdown and stretched the advantage to 47-23 when Vailas connected again with Orlando, this time from 15 yards out in the opening minutes of the third quarter.

ODU went into the game having racked up 92 second-half points through their first three games, a trend that continued as the Monarchs scored 40 points in the second half, 24 in the fourth quarter.

“We got worn down defensively in the second half by the tempo,” McDonnell said. “We were tired, hot and a couple of kids went down.”

The Wildcats actually had to rally to tie the game in the final quarter after ODU scored 30 points in just over 17 minutes to take a 61-54 lead. Vailas rallied UNH, hooking up with Harris on a 45-yard scoring pass tie the game with 3:22 left and set up Brown game-winning field goal.

Heinicke, who tossed seven touchdowns the week before, also showed an ability to run the ball, racking up 61 yards on 11 carries, including a nine-yard touchdown run.

Heinicke connected with senior wide receiver Nick Mayers for three touchdown passes, two in the second half. Mayers had 12 receptions for 271 yards.

“They’ve got a guy pulling the trigger who doesn’t make mistakes,” McDonnell said.

There was 1,549 yards of total offense in the game — another FCS record.