NT site MG set for rematch with Tulsa

OldTimer · September 15, 2006

Mean Green Set For Rematch With Tulsa On Saturday Night

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 09/14/2006

Courtesy: Rick Yeatts

DENTON (9/14/06) - The North Texas football team looks to a rematch with Tulsa after notching a home-opening win over cross-town rival SMU last weekend. The game will be carried by the Mean Green Radio Network. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

The Mean Greens is coming off a 24-7 win over SMU in its first game against the Mustangs since 1992. North Texas ranks 23rd in the nation in both turnover margin and punt returns, and boasts the country’s 53rd ranked pass defense. Tulsa, the 2005 Conference USA Champion, is coming off a 49-24 loss to Brigham Young, but has posted impressive offensive numbers this season. Golden Hurricane quarterback Paul Smith leads the nation’s 17th ranked passing attack which totals over 283 yards and 34 points per game.

Darrell Dickey, the fourtime Sun Belt Coach of the Year, is in his ninth season with the Mean Green. With the SMU victory Dickey picked up his 40th win at North Texas, which ties coaching legend Hayden Fry. No stranger to success, Dickey has compiled a 32-17 conference record. Steve Kragthorpe, a former North Texas offensive coordinator, took the reigns of the Tulsa football program in 2003 and has already led the Golden Hurricane to 21 wins and a pair of bowl births.

Tulsa leads the all-time series 14-6, including a 9-2 mark at home. The Golden Hurricane has won the last seven meetings by an average of 19 points, dating back to 1970. North Texas took the first two games in 1957 and ‘58, but has not beaten Tulsa since 1969.Tulsa used a strong second half to push past North Texas, 54-2, at Fouts Field in front of a crowd of 23,112 on Sept. 17, 2005. After leading 19-2 at halftime, Tulsa (1-2) combined for 252 total yards and 35 points in the second half. Golden Hurricane running backs Brandon Diles rushed for 128 yards, and Cauvey Jackson ran for two touchdowns. The Tulsa offense combined for 406 yards of total offense, while the Golden Hurricane defense held the Mean Green to 129 yards. Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas combined for 113 yards with Cobbs leading the way with 100 yards. The Mean Green scored the first points of the game with a team safety at the end of the first quarter but was then outscored, 54-0.

North Texas will face its second straight Conference USA team this week against Tulsa. The Mean Green holds a 34-40-1 all-time mark against the league. North Texas defeated CUSA foe SMU 24-7 last weekend at Fouts Field. North Texas has faced at least one CUSA opponent in each season since 2001, playing against three Conference USA Champions. The Mean Green has compiled a 2-5 mark against CUSA in that span.

The North Texas football team defeated SMU, 24-6, at Fouts Field in front of crowd of 25, 231. The Mean Green (1-1) is now 2-0 against the Mustangs at Fouts Field. North Texas held an early 7-0 lead and then outscored the Mustangs 17-6 in the second half. Freshman Evan Robertson made the big play on special teams, blocking an SMU punt that led to the first score of the game. Quarterback Woody Wilson completed 8-of-10 passes, to go with a 33-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Jamario Thomas ran for 90 yards on 25 carries, including 81 rushing yards in the second half.

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