UNT blows late lead, loses conference finale

[Harry]

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — K.C. Obi wanted to make the end of an era in North Texas football and in his life something to remember.

The senior defensive end played his final college game Saturday at Western Kentucky, where the Mean Green wrapped up its 12-year tenure as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

Lately those seasons have been filled with tough losses.

A stunning 25-24 loss at the hands of the Hilltoppers at L.T. Smith Stadium turned out to be the last — and arguably one of the worst — of those blows.

The Mean Green led by 14 points in the fourth quarter before letting its final game as a member of the Sun Belt slip away.

Antonio Andrews capped a 15-point surge by WKU in the final quarter with a 21-yard touchdown run with 3:30 left to give the Hilltoppers the win.

“This one hurts,” Obi said. “It was important to us to leave a mark on the Sun Belt and finish strong. We didn’t do it.”

UNT (4-8, 3-5 Sun Belt) had ample opportunity to head off to Conference USA on a high note after Darnell Smith caught a 12-yard TD pass from Derek Thompson to give the Mean Green a 24-10 lead with 24 seconds left in the third quarter.

The game quickly got away from UNT a short time later.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20121124-football-the-sun-sets.ece