North Texas Loses Conference Lead
DENTON, TX – North Texas saw its chances of capturing the Conference USA West Division title – chances so alive and within the Mean Green’s control after five-straight wins – suffer a fatal blow in a 21-13 senior-day loss Saturday at Apogee Stadium.
The Mean Green’s first-ever meeting with UTSA turned on third down. North Texas struggled to convert on third down, making a first down on just six of 15 opportunities, leading to wasted scoring opportunities. The Roadrunners, meanwhile converted 14-of-19 third downs, including four on a fourth-quarter drive that put UTSA up 21-6.
“They were much better than we were on third down,” North Texas coach Dan McCarney said. “Normally that will have a lot to do with the outcome of the game, and it sure did today.”
North Texas (7-4 on the year, 5-2 in C-USA) put on a furious rally late, getting its lone touchdown on a six-yard pass to Drew Miller with 5:38 to play to pull within eight points. In the final minute, the Mean Green put together a frantic drive that reached the UTSA two-yard line with one second to play, but a pass into
the end zone on the final play of the game was intercepted.
The Mean Green came into Saturday’s final home game of the regular season half a game back of Rice in C-USA’s West Division. However, with a tie-breaker advantage over the Owls, a win Saturday would have put North Texas back into first place with a game to play. Instead, Saturday’s loss eliminates the Mean Green from contention for the West title and a berth in the C-USA title game, a berth that will be decided next week in Houston when Rice and Tulane meet.
The North Texas offense was sluggish most of the night, unable to maintain drives and generating just 35 yards rushing, 92 yards total offense, and six first downs in the first half. Until the Miller TD, North Texas managed just two field goals, one set up by Marcus Trice’s fifth interception of the season. The 13 point-output Saturday is the Mean Green’s fewest this year.
UTSA, meanwhile, out-gained North Texas more than two to one in the first half and converted seven of its 11 third downs, on its way to 458 yards total offense for the game, the most yards the Mean Green has surrendered in conference play. The win made the Roadrunners (6-5) bowl eligible.
