North Texas Falls To WKU
DENTON – Thursday night, North Texas stepped up its effort and found the fire it so desperately lacked last weekend. Unfortunately, the Mean Green also stepped up in class of opponent.
Western Kentucky, tied for the best record in Conference USA, overpowered and outlasted North Texas, fending off the Mean Green’s early challenges and taking control late in the first half on the way to a 55-28 victory at Apogee Stadium.
North Texas quarterback DaMarcus Smith, making his first start, displayed his remarkable athletic ability, rushing for 122 yards, passing for four touchdowns and 228 yards. However, he was also inconsistent, completing 17 of 35 throws and struggling in the first half.
“This was a very difficult week to put together a plan against a very good football team after what we endured this week,” said North Texas coach Mike Canales, in his second stint as interim head coach at North Texas but his first game in that role this season. “Our kids were resilient and they battled. I’m very proud of them.”
Just five days after perhaps the worst Saturday in the program’s history, North Texas faced
the monumental task of dealing with league-leading WKU and C-USA’s top passer in quarterback Brandon Doughty. Doughty came into the game completing almost 75 percent of his throws with only three interceptions this year, but the Mean Green limited Doughty to underneath throws through the first 25 minutes, denying his deep passes and getting an interception from senior cornerback Zac Whitfield in the second quarter.
The pick sparked the North Texas offense, and Smith directed the Mean Green into scoring position. From the WKU 20, Smith threw for his second TD of the season, made possible by wide receiver Tee Goree’s spectacular leaping catch over a WKU defender for the first touchdown of his career, pulling North Texas within 14-7.
But the Hilltoppers piled up yards after the catch on those short and mid-range passes, their running game totaled 283 yards, and WKU methodically built a 20-7 lead. Doughty finally struck late in the first half with a pair of long touchdown passes for a 34-7 advantage.
North Texas, however, kept pushing, scoring late in the first half and twice more in the fourth quarter, an effort – if not a result – that pleased Canales.
“We’re going to win,” Canales said. “I promise you. It might not happen this week or next week. It’s not about moral victories, and I get that. But we’re going to win. I’m trying to build passion and enthusiasm, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.
“I just want our kids to win, and I think they’re starting to buy in,” he added. “You could see that.”
