ASU Uses Big First Half to Down Mean Green

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Jonesboro, Ark. (10/29/11) – The Arkansas State football team rushed out to a 31-0 lead in the first half, and the Mean Green was unable to recover in a 37-14 loss on Saturday night at ASU Stadium. North Texas falls to 3-6 and 2-3 in the Sun Belt, while the conference leader improves to 6-2 and 4-0. Arkansas State leads the series, 13-8. It was a game of two halves as ASU dominated the first period by shutting out the Mean Green, 31-0. North Texas came out in the second half and held the Red Wolves to just one touchdown, scored in the final four minutes of the game. North Texas put its first points on the scoreboard in the third quarter with a Lance Dunbar one-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Andrew McNulty set up the score with a 34-yard run. The drive took five plays, 42 yards and two minutes of clock time. It was Dunbar’s sixth rushing touchdown of the season, and he set a school record with 37th career rushing touchdowns. It was the 39th total touchdown of his career. With his 90 yards tonight, Dunbar rushed for more yards than any back this season against Arkansas State. He broke a 43-yard run in the first quarter, which was his second-longest run of the season and the longest rush against Arkansas State this season. North Texas tacked on another touchdown late in the fourth quarter with a 23-yard reception by Brelan Chancellor. McNulty completed five passes in the drive. He went 14-for-26 in the game for 136 passing yards. Arkansas State scored on five of its first six possessions to take a 31-0 lead in the first half. Frankie Jackson scored a rushing touchdown on ASU’s opening drive at 10:43 in the first quarter, and Bobby Zalud hit a 48-yard field goal to put the Red Wolves ahead,10-0. In the second quarter, punter Neely Sullivent ran in for a score on a fake field goal attempt, and Ryan Aplin threw two touchdown passes to shutout the Mean Green in the first two quarters. Aplin completed 28 of 42 passes for 322 yards in the game. North Texas was outgained 365-82 in total offense in the first half. The 365 yards allowed by the Mean Green in the first half was more than it allowed in games against Louisiana-Lafayette and FAU. Down 10-0 in the first quarter, the Mean Green forced the first turnover of the game with a fumble recovery but was unable to convert. Sophomore linebacker Zach Orr recovered the fumble, making this the fourth straight game and eight of nine games that the Mean Green has forced and recovered at least one fumble. With the Red Wolves threatening deep into Mean Green territory, Richard Abbey intercepted an Aplin throw and returned it to the North Texas 34-yard line at the end of the third quarter. On the ensuing drive, the Mean Green converted two fourth-downs and moved the ball 61 yards, but Kelcie McCray intercepted a McNulty pass in the endzone. Starting quarterback Derek Thompson was injured on the second offensive play for the Mean Green and did not return. True freshman Andrew McNulty came in to replace Thompson. Junior linebacker Jeremy Phillips made his return after missing the last six games with a knee injury. North Texas returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when it faces Troy on the road at 2:30 p.m.