University of North Texas Athletics
Sweet 16 - Fine's 7 Passing TDs vs. UTEP
3/24/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
MEAN GREEN SWEET SIXTEEN
QB Mason Fine Tosses a Career-High Seven Touchdowns in Homecoming Win Over UTEP
"I think the juice on the sideline was there and everyone just had fun and did their job. We started fast and that momentum continued throughout the game. It's awesome when you prepare the right way and then go out and perform the right way."Quarterback Mason Fine
DENTON – Mason Fine broke his single-game career mark in front of the homecoming crowd on November 2 this past season, and it was a night he will never forget – right down to the postgame press conference when he donned a T-Rex costume for a late Halloween celebration.
Fine completed 24 of 39 pass attempts for 332 yards and seven touchdowns – one off the program's all-time high of eight in a game – in a 52-26 win over UTEP and further etched his name in UNT lore with one home game remaining in his decorated career.
UNT (4-5, 3-2 Conference USA) got off to a blazing start, as the Mean Green jumped out to a 14-0 lead 29 seconds into the game. It started when Deion Hair-Griffin returned the opening kickoff 63 yards, and Fine found freshman Deonte Simpson for a 33-yard scoring strike on the first play from scrimmage. After recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, UNT struck again when Fine found former high school teammate Jason Pirtle for a 17-yard touchdown on the game's second offensive snap.
The UNT defense also did its part in building a comfortable lead that grew to 38-14 at the half, as the unit held UTEP (1-7, 0-5) to 275 total yards and had four sacks.
Fine found nine different receivers on the afternoon, and his first eight completions went to eight different receivers. Senior Michael Lawrence led the way with six grabs for 87 yards, while junior Jaelon Darden had six catches for 60 yards and three touchdowns – his second three-touchdown game of the year.
In the win, Darden moved into a tie for fourth on the all-time, single-season touchdown reception list with 11 and is now seventh for career touchdown receptions with 18.
Fine went on to win Conference USA Player of the Week, and also earned national plaudits as the Manning Award Star of the Week, a member of the Davey O'Brien Great 8 list and was named the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose National Player of the Week for his career-best performance.
QUICK HITS
Senior QB Mason Fine (Peggs, Oklahoma) finished 24-for-39 passing for 332 yards and seven touchdown passes.
- Fine's 20-yard scoring strike to Deonte Simpson with 9:17 remaining gave Fine seven touchdown passes on the day to break his career high for single-game touchdown passes, set last week at Charlotte when he had five. His seven touchdown passes is one off the all-time program mark of eight by Giovanni Vizza (vs. Navy, 2007).
- Fine's seven touchdown passes sets a new all-time high in the history of Apogee Stadium. The previous high was five, which was done by Houston's Case Keenum (Sept. 10, 2011).
- Fine is the first Conference USA quarterback to throw for seven touchdowns in a game since Marshall's Rakeem Cato on Nov. 28, 2014. One C-USA quarterback has thrown eight and one has thrown nine.
- Fine started the game 2-for-2 for 50 yards and two touchdown passes, as North Texas took a 14-0 lead just 29 seconds into the game.
- Fine completed passes to nine different receivers. His first eight completions of the day were to eight different receivers.
"Mason's been playing at a high level, and I think some of that is getting better chemistry with the younger receivers," Those guys have really grown and are better understanding their assignments – the Jyaire Shorters, Deonte Simpsons and those guys. The more comfortable they get together, it's a lot easier to manage a game that way. The run game has helped too over the past few weeks. They were committed to not letting us run, so we were able to be explosive in the pass game. Being able to have that balance offensively if they aren't going to allow you to run the ball was big. Mason did a great job and had a great game overall."Head Coach Seth Littrell
Fine also garnered national attention for his postgame post-Halloween costume at the press conference.
When you have a game at 2:30 and a Halloween party at 6 ????
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 3, 2019
(via @MeanGreenFB)pic.twitter.com/2KmHxs7RVT
North Texas' QB broke out a costume for the postgame presser ?? pic.twitter.com/g48S4o97Tg
— ESPN (@espn) November 3, 2019
One of these things is not like the other.@MasonFine09 had a 7-TD performance last night for @MeanGreenFB, then remembered it was Halloweekend for his press conference. ?? pic.twitter.com/PE24jJ3JRP
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 3, 2019
Today HC @SethLittrell opened up about his feelings regarding QB @Masonfine09’s wardrobe choice in his postgame presser on Saturday ??
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 5, 2019
Full Week 11 Press Conference: https://t.co/Ez7xC8mVDx#GMG #UNiTeNorthTexas pic.twitter.com/nlMwh9u2Ze
Sunday column: Mason Fine's T-Rex costume stunt during North Texas' post game press conference following a win over UTEP on Saturday illustrates everything there is to love about senior: https://t.co/51eYog4TfA
— Brett Vito (@brettvito) November 3, 2019
No surprise here, QB @Masonfine09 is your @ConferenceUSA Offensive Player of the Week!
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 4, 2019
332 passing yards
7? passing TDs (??)
0? INTs
??: https://t.co/dqFDiFrude#EverythingIsFine #GMG #UNiTeNorthTexas pic.twitter.com/JcEufA0Dxo
Congratulations to QB @Masonfine09, who was named a @daveyobrien Great 8 selection!
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 4, 2019
??: https://t.co/IpBtR7BYGA#EverythingIsFine #GMG #UNiTeNorthTexas pic.twitter.com/GTmbk7NIJZ
Seven TD passes is always impressive, but even more so when you are a ??! https://t.co/4kT27xyGUj pic.twitter.com/OGFmdoyz7k
— Davey O'Brien (@daveyobrien) November 4, 2019
College Football Week 10 Superlatives
— Dave Campbell's Texas Football — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) November 5, 2019
Coverboy of the Week: @Masonfine09 - @MeanGreenFB
Def. Player of Week: @T_streets26 - @BUFootball
The Rookie: @isaiah_spiller - @AggieFootball
Remember the Name: @car_mulbah - @UHCougarFB https://t.co/3x5GeNgUvt ?? @ShehanJeyarajah pic.twitter.com/UGPKmee1gL
QB @Masonfine09 is the @CampbellAward National Player of the Week following his 7-TD performance in the win over UTEP!
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 5, 2019
??: https://t.co/Gblz6hODxO#EverythingIsFine #GMG #UNiTeNorthTexas ?? pic.twitter.com/fvz5Vs5UL5
?? @Masonfine09, @JDFlash1x and @nase_mose #GMG #UNiTeNorthTexas https://t.co/toRXKMT6SM
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 5, 2019
