North Texas Defeats Florida Atlantic
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DENTON – North Texas rode a big first half from running back Antoinne Jimmerson to a commanding lead, then got a huge special-teams play from Derek Teegarden to put the brakes on a Florida Atlantic second-half rally in a 31-10 homecoming victory Saturday night at Apogee Stadium.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Mean Green.
“It was a big win after the drought we had,” said offensive lineman Mason Y’Barbo. “It was the 1,000th game (in North Texas football history), and it was a great way to celebrate that.”
“Don’t sell this team short,” North Texas coach Dan McCarney said. “This is a good statement win for us. There’s a lot of integrity and character in this team. It was a real good team win.”
The North Texas defense was outstanding Saturday. After being unable to get off the field in the last home game against Southern Miss, the Mean Green permitted FAU to convert just five of 16 third downs and
held the Owls to 197 yards total offense while forcing a pair of turnovers.
“The defense played well,” McCarney said. “They were consistent and made a lot of plays. We tackled well, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”
North Texas took control early. By halftime, Jimmerson had rushed for a season-high 106 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Andrew McNulty had completed seven passes for eight attempts for 68 yards yards and a score. On defense, defensive end Chad Polk lived in the FAU backfield, recording two tackles for loss and disrupting the Owl attack, which managed just 61 yards in the first half. Only a pair of mistakes on special teams – a failed fake field goal and a muffed punt – kept the game from being a complete blowout before halftime.
The Mean Green, however, couldn’t carry that first-half momentum into the third quarter. NT’s 21-3 halftime lead was chopped to 21-10 when FAU hit a 34-yard scoring pass on fourth and 14, and the Owls kept North Texas from answering by intercepting a McNulty pass in the FAU end zone.
But Teegarden killed FAU’s rally early in the fourth quarter. Covering a North Texas punt, Teegarden made the tackle on the Owl return man, ripped the ball out, and recovered the fumble at the FAU 30-yard line. The play led to an 18-yard field goal by Trevor Moore, giving the Mean Green a 24-10 lead.
The Owls last gasp died late in the fourth quarter, when Kenny Buyers came up with an interception – just the third of the season FAU has thrown.
