Sun Belt To Investigate Post-game Scuffle

[NT80]

Sun Belt to investigate post-game scuffle

11:41 PM CST on Sunday, November 25, 2007

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

The Sun Belt Conference will investigate a scuffle between North Texas and Western Kentucky players that broke out after the Mean Green's win at Fouts Field on Saturday, Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said Sunday.

UNT and WKU players met at midfield after the game. Coaches from both schools and UNT officials separated players after a few minutes.

"There are several issues," Waters said. "We will have to find out what happened and look at the copy of the film. There will be a question of how much authority we have over Western Kentucky because they are not a member of the league yet."

Waters said the league office would decide if any action is necessary after examining the film and talking to university officials.

WKU is in the process of moving up from the NCAA's Championship Subdivision to become a member of the Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt. WKU will become a full member of the league in 2009.

The Hilltoppers are members of the Sun Belt in several other sports, including men's and women's basketball.

Tensions were running high between the teams long before the Mean Green held on for a 27-26 win when WKU kicker Chris James missed a 38-yard field goal with 1:01 left after a bad snap threw off his timing.

"Their antics during the game probably got to us a little bit," UNT senior safety Aaron Weathers said. "At the end of the game it showed."

UNT senior defensive lineman Montey Stevenson said WKU players jumped up and down on the 50-yard line before the game and offended the Mean Green's players with some of the comments they made before the opening kickoff.

UNT's players said they were also offended when WKU's players gathered in the end zone following a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown by Hilltoppers' defensive lineman Terald Clark just before halftime. The group formed a circle for a "bomb celebration" in which a player threw the ball in the air and each member of the group fell to the ground after the it hit the turf.

WKU drew two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the play.

"The bomb in the end zone -- major disrespect," UNT running back Jamario Thomas said. "That made me mad, and it takes a lot to make me mad."

UNT head coach Todd Dodge said that all that transpired before the game helped motivate his team, which improved to 2-9 with the win.