Sports Network N T Vs Ull Prediction / Comments

MeanGreen61 · October 4, 2007

The Sports Network

DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 6th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Cajun Field (31,000) -- Lafayette, Louisiana. Television: None. Home Record: UNT 0-1, ULL 0-3. Away Record: UNT 0-3, ULL 0-2. Neutral Record: UNT 0-0, ULL 0-0. Conference Record: UNT 0-0, ULL 0-1. Series Record: North Texas leads, 8-3.

GAME NOTES: Something will have to give this Saturday, as the winless UL- Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns will host the winless North Texas Mean Green from Cajun Field. It has been an embarrassing season for the Mean Green thus far as the team opened the year with a terrible, 79-10 setback to Oklahoma. The horrendous play continued all the way to last weekend, as the team suffered an abysmal, 66-7 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. Fortunately for North Texas, the team will have the luxury of hosting three of its next four games. As for the Cajuns, they have dropped all five of their games this season, including a tough, 37-19 loss to UCF this past weekend. This is the second time that ULL opened a season with five straight losses under coach Rickey Bustle. The other occurrence happened during the 2003 season, as the Cajuns started that campaign 0-7. In regard to the all-time series between the two schools on the gridiron the Mean Green have a solid 8-3 edge.

For this offense to be successful the unit must rely heavily on the pass, as the team is producing a whopping 330.8 ypg through the air. Unfortunately the ground attack has been non existent, as UNT is posting just 83 yards via the run. The imbalance of the offensive attack is a huge reason why the team is averaging just 17 ppg. In the recent loss to Arkansas, the offense had a tough time all around, including with its passing attack. Overall the Mean Green collected just 329 total yards, and that includes the 189 yards via the pass. Both Daniel Meager and Giovanni Vizza saw time under center, but neither were very effective. Vizza was just 8-of-26 for 118 yards, while Meager completed only 7-of-15 passes for 71 yards. Neither QB threw a touchdown, but both tossed an interception. Meager has been the much more effective QB, completing 63.5 percent of his throws. However, meager has just four TDs against only eight interceptions.

Defensively the Mean Green have been a complete mess, being torched for an atrocious 55.0 ppg and 580.2 total ypg. The unit has had trouble against the run as well as the pass, allowing opposing teams to churn out 244 yards on the ground, while being abused for 336.2 ypg via the pass. The big problem for UNT this past weekend was against the run, as the Razorbacks rumbled for an eye- popping 446 yards on 55 carries. The defense backfield also struggled, as Arkansas also threw for 267 yards in the contest. UNT forced two turnovers in the game, but finished the contest with zero sacks. In the loss the defense allowed Arkansas to collect 31 first downs, while also converting on 4-of-6 redzone chances. Aaron Weathers, who leads the team with 33 tackles on the season, recorded eight stops in the loss on Saturday.

Unlike their counterpart, the Ragin' Cajuns have used their ground attack to produce most of their offensive success. ULL is averaging just 397 total ypg, but the majority of that production has come from the run, as the team is posting 238 ypg on the ground. In the recent loss to UCF, the Cajuns ground game continued its solid play, as ULL rumbled for 160 yards on 39 carries. With Tyrell Fenroy battling an ankle injury quarterback Michael Desormeaux led the way with 92 yards and Deon Wallace added 51 yards on 10 totes. Fenroy has been solid for the Cajuns and currently has 307 yards in four games. Unfortunately Desormeaux did not have the same success through the air, as the QB completed just 14-of-29 passes for just 154 yards and one score. While Desormeaux is leading the squad with 514 rushing yards, the QB has had trouble throwing the ball, completing just 53.7 percent of his passes. In five games, the QB has thrown for only 771 yards and five scores against six interceptions.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cajuns have had trouble containing the run, as opponents are producing 238.8 ypg on the ground. Overall the defense is being abused for a whopping 462.0 total ypg, which has led to 36.4 ppg. In the loss to UCF the Cajuns were abused for an eye-popping 300 yards on the ground. The Golden Knights dismantled ULL by totaling 466 yards en route to 37-point performance. The Cajuns were able to force two turnovers in the contest, but finished the game with just one sack. ULL also surrendered 23 first downs in the contest and allowed UCF to convert on all three of its red zone chances. Grant Fleming led the unit with eight tackles in the loss, while Daylon McCoy added six stops.

As mentioned earlier, something will have to give this Saturday in Lafayette. The Cajuns have a solid ground attack and should run their way to their first victory of the season.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: UL-Lafayette 34, North Texas 20