University of North Texas
1-4 , 1-1
Louisiana-Lafayette
2-2 , 2-1
Football Falls, 28-27
10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
DENTON (10/2/10) - Louisiana-Lafayette blocked a Mean Green extra-point with 31 seconds on the clock to hold onto a 28-27 victory against the North Texas football team on Saturday night at Fouts Field.
The Mean Green falls to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference, while the Ragin' Cajuns improve to 2-2 and 2-1 in the Sun Belt. ULL has won the last four meetings. The Mean Green has now lost eight games by seven points or less in the last two seasons.
Riley Dodge used a shovel pass to Darius Carey for a four-yard touchdown reception, capping a 91-yard drive. The touchdown cut the ULL lead to one, 28-27, and an extra point would have tied the game. ULL's Jermaine Rogers blocked the kick to seal the victory.
The Mean Green held the edge in total yards, 378 to 251. Lance Dunbar rolled up 141 yards against ULL, his 10th 100-yard rushing game in 13 career starts. The running back had a three-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that cut the ULL lead to seven, 28-21.
The North Texas defense limited the Ragin' Cajuns to 41 rushing yards just a week after keeping FAU at 84 rushing yards.
Penalties plagued the Mean Green throughout the game. North Texas recorded eight penalties in the first half and 15 overall for 102 yards, both season highs. NT was hit with two penalties on its final drive.
A strong opening drive by ULL and three big plays gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 28-14 advantage through three quarters of play. North Texas came back with two strong drives that resulted in touchdowns but came up short at the end.
For the fifth straight game, a North Texas opponent scored on its opening possession to take an early lead. Blaine Gautier scored from one-yard out to put the Ragin' Cajuns ahead, 7-0. ULL moved the ball 86 yards on 14 plays in 5:25, resulting in a touchdown at 6:23 in the first quarter.
With the Mean Green driving down the field into ULL territory at the start of the second quarter, North Texas fumbled the snap, leading to a defensive Ragin' Cajuns touchdown. Lance Kelley picked up the loose ball and ran 40 yards for the touchdown. The touchdown was the first defensive score of the year allowed by the Mean Green.
With 6:02 left in the first half, North Texas jumped on the scoreboard with a quarterback keeper. Dodge scored on the option from six yards out. Dodge and Dunbar rushed for 44 of NT's 47 total yards in the drive. Dodge completed 22 of 31 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
ULL responded with an 82-yard touchdown pass on its first play of the ensuing drive. The drive lasted just 16 seconds and put the Ragin' Cajuns ahead by two touchdowns, 21-7. The 82-yard ULL touchdown pass was the longest play against North Texas in 2010, and tied for the second-quickest opponent scoring drive.
Alex Lott caught a 37-yard touchdown after evading a ULL defender to bring the Mean Green deficit back to seven points, 21-14, with 1:42 left in the first half. It was Lott's first touchdown of the season and the second of his career.
ULL needed just 1:45 at the start of the second half to add on to its score. Javone Lawson caught a 60-yard touchdown pass to put ULL ahead, 28-14.
The Ragin' Cajuns intercepted a Mean Green pass near the end of the third quarter but were unable to capitalize after Brandon McCoy blocked his first field goal. The block was the second of the season for the Mean Green. D'Leon McCord recovered the ball for the Mean Green, but North Texas was forced to punt after a penalty and a Dodge sack.
After being shutout in the third quarter, 7-0, North Texas scored first in the fourth quarter with a Dunbar three-yard touchdown run at 8:53. Dodge had a 17-yard run in the drive, and Dunbar set up his touchdown rush with a 13-yard run.
The Mean Green defense had a key stop near the end of the game. Craig Robertson sacked Masson for a loss of six on second down and then Brandon Akpunku hurried the passer to force an incompletion on third down.
North Texas returns to action at home on Saturday, October 9, 2010 when it takes on Arkansas State at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
UL 7, NT 0
UL - Gautier, Blaine 1 yd run (Albrecht, Tyler kick), 14 plays, 86 yards, TOP 5:25
UL 14, NT 0
UL - Kelley, Lance 40 yd fumble recovery (Albrecht, Tyler kick)
UL 14, NT 7
NT - Dodge, Riley 6 yd run (Deans, Trent kick), 8 plays, 47 yards, TOP 4:10
UL 21, NT 7
UL - Spikes, Aaron 82 yd pass from Masson, Chris (Albrecht, Tyler kick) 1 plays, 82 yards, TOP 0:16
UL 21, NT 14
NT - Lott, Alex 37 yd pass from Dodge, Riley (Deans, Trent kick) 8 plays, 61 yards, TOP 4:04
UL 28, NT 14
UL - Lawson, Javone 60 yd pass from Masson, Chris (Albrecht, Tyler kick) 4 plays, 82 yards, TOP 1:45
UL 28, NT 21
NT - Dunbar, Lance 3 yd run (Deans, Trent kick), 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 5:05
UL 28, NT 27
NT - Carey, Darius 4 yd pass from Dodge, Riley (Deans, Trent kickblocked) 12 plays, 91 yards, TOP 4:23
