DENTON, Texas — Brandin Byrd scored on an 85-yard run on North Texas’ first play of the second half, and the Mean Green recovered a fumble on the ensuing drive that led to three more points, breaking a 14-14 halftime tie en route to a 24-14 Sun Belt Conference football victory over the University of South Alabama Saturday at Apogee Stadium.
USA (2-8, 1-5 Sun Belt) marched 67 yards in 13 plays to open the second half, but after a 28-yard field-goal sailed wide right Byrd gave the Mean Green (4-6, 3-3 SBC) their first advantage with an 85-yard run on their first play of the third quarter. Zach Orr recovered a fumble at the USA-39 to end the next Jaguar possession, and when Olen connected on a 33-yard field goal attempt with five-and-a-half minute left in the period NT led 24-14.
That would be the final, as the Jaguars held a 366-303 advantage in total offense but were called for 11 penalties resulting in 92 yards lost.
“We played a good first half; we played hard and smart. They dominated us in the third quarter,” said USA head coach Joey Jones. “We had a good drive [to open the second half], and we missed a chip-shot field goal that would have put us up 17-14. We were playing great defense but we missed the field goal, then they scored on a long run and kind of dominated us from that point on. We didn’t much on offense after that.
“We’re just a few guys behind right now. Everything we do has to be perfect, but I told them in the locker room that we have to stick together. This is as tough of a thing as any of us have been through — nobody likes to lose. We have to stick together and back up and support each other. This [transition to FBS] is a tough thing to go through. My hat’s off to North Texas. They came out and made great adjustments at halftime, and played a better game in the second half.”
Kendall Houston’s one-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter — his first since the season opener Sept. 1 against Texas-San Antonio — capped a 13-play, 90-yard march that put the Jags up 7-0. After Ross Metheny connected with Jeremé Jones for the initial first down of the contest, Demetre Baker had a 26-yard gain that moved USA across midfield. A 24-yard pass to Corey Besteda put the ball on the NT-4, with Houston crossing the goal line two plays later.
Houston would finish with 42 yards on 11 attempts, marking the first time that he has led the team on the ground since USA’s game at Georgia State on Oct. 22 a year ago.
After holding the Jaguars on fourth-and-one from the NT-49, limiting Trey Fetner to no gain, the Mean Green tied the score on the second play of the second quarter when Jeremy Brown broke a 51-yard touchdown run.
He ended the contest with 61 yards on 11 carries, and Byrd added 109 on 15 attempts to help NT gain a 197-133 rushing advantage.
Later in the period, NT had a chance to take its first lead but Zach Olen’s 54-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left. Metheny directed the Jaguars 63 yards the other way in six plays, capping the drive with a 13-yard scoring pass to Jones that put USA ahead 14-7 two minutes and 50 seconds before the intermission. He also hit Wes Saxton on the opening play of the drive for a 17-yard completion and Greg Hollinger for 14 yards and a first down three plays later, with the Jags moving the chains into the red zone after a personal foul call for a facemask on the Mean Green.
Metheny was 23-of-45 passing, as the Jaguars held a 233-106 edge through the air. Bryant Lavender matched a career high with six receptions — a total that led all players — for 36 yards, while Jones posted a career-best 72 yards on five catches. Saxton contributed three receptions for 38 yards, Besteda added two for 31 more and Gabe Loper caught two passes for 26 yards.
“The good teams learn from the losses, watch film, make corrections and move forward. That’s what we have to do,” explained Metheny. “We have to put it [loss] behind us. It’s tough. There comes a point where being so close is not enough. We’re so close in so many games, and hopefully we’ll put it all together.
“We have three more chances to win football games, and that’s what we’re looking to do.”
The score was tied at the half, though, after Derek Thompson connected with Drew Miller on third-and-goal from the Jaguar two-yard line. With the Mean Green facing third-and-10 at the USA-14, Thompson found Chris Bynes for a four-yard gain, but the Jags were called for delay of game after the play and a substitution infraction on the ensuing snap to give NT first-and-goal.
Thompson completed just 12-of-28 attempts, with Carlos Harris pacing the Mean Green with three catches for 35 yards.
The Jaguars had an opportunity to cut into the deficit with just under three minutes left in the third quarter when Tyrell Pearson intercepted a pass and returned it 38 yards, but his fumble at the two-yard line hit the pylon and was ruled a touchback for NT.
The 303 yards allowed by the Jags were the fewest they have given up to an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision school this fall. Alex Page and Bryson James led the unit with seven stops apiece; the former had a career-high 2½ tackles for loss, the latter matched a career best set in the 2009 season finale against Huntingdon (Ala.). Jake Johnson collected six tackles including his 10th straight game with one behind the line of scrimmage, Enrique Williams made five stops and Maleki Harris and David Hawkins were both credited with four.
Hawkins, who made his season debut a week ago against Florida International, had two of his tackles come behind the line.
“It was a great effort defensively,” Page said. “We knew pretty much knew all week in practice what they were going to do. Other than the big plays and one drive, we were pretty solid today. But that’s the thing about football — one play can hurt you. We know what we have to do, we just have to come out and keep doing what we’re doing.”
Orr’s 12 tackles paced all players, while Derek Akunne recorded eight stops and Jeremy Phillips was credited with seven.
Byrd had 134 all-purpose yards to lead all players, with T.J. Glover countering with 111 for the Jaguars, a total that included 72 on kick returns and 36 rushing.
USA held the ball for over 33 minutes and was 8-of-20 on third-down conversions, while the Jag defense limited the Mean Green to only 2-of-15 conversions on third down.
“I told the guys in the locker room that I will never quit on them,” stated Jones. “We knew this year was going to be like this, so we have to stick together. Those guys really care about each other, and that’s all I can worry about right now. I can’t worry about what anybody else says. We just have to keep working and building these men up. They’re going through a tough thing right now. They have been asked to step up in a very good Division I league and try to win, we’re just coming up a little bit short in a lot of games.”
The Jaguars will play their final home game of the 2012 season Saturday, with kickoff against Middle Tennessee slated for 2:30 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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