I know it was close but this one hurts...

[Legend500]

I'm amazed by the short memories around here. Three years ago, this team goes down 14 during an away game and we end up losing 56-14. Do I want a win? Sure! But do I recognize that we're a better program than even a few years ago? Absolutely. This one hurts because we're in a position to compete in every game again. It's a nice feeling.

[JesseMartin]

I'm amazed by the short memories around here. Three years ago, this team goes down 14 during an away game and we end up losing 56-14. Do I want a win? Sure! But do I recognize that we're a better program than even a few years ago? Absolutely. This one hurts because we're in a position to compete in every game again. It's a nice feeling.

Hell yes. And while almost everyone is freaking out (again) over a game most of us thought would be very tight either way, the remainder of our opponents (over the first two weeks) have shown thus far that we have a slate of games that appear to be wide open. A couple opponents seem to be a bit better than expected, while others look to be less intimidating than they seemed pre-season.

As always, one game at a time, but based on 2 weeks of results we seem to be pretty even with most of our opponents (Georgia and Rice being the outliers). Cut down on turnovers (especially those converted to points) and we could very realistically still be at or above .500 by season's end.

This game could have gone either way, and a few plays could have changed the results significantly for either team (i.e. a win for us or an even worse loss depending on the outcome of those few plays changed). I certainly saw some areas for improvement, but for the most part the gestalt of our team on both sides of the ball seemed a lot more solid than it did last year.

I'm still optimistic. This wasn't a horrendous loss and with a few adjustments we should be very competitive with 8 of our remaining 10 opponents. And no, I'm not even assuming a QB change as one of those adjustments, though it could be interesting to see.

[JesseMartin]

One more note: if you remove the long TD pass on the first play, DT's numbers are better than Tettleton's. They both had 2 TDs and 2 INTs, the same number of completions (Tettleton had only one more attempt, so DT would actually have one more without that play), and with the 75-yarder removed Derek's average would be higher. And we did try to answer it with our own, and that was one of the biggest letdowns of the game (the one just over and behind Chancellor was the other, not counting interceptions).

Really, this game came down to two plays in Ohio's favor (the INT for a TD and the first-play TD), one on each side of the ball, and a few missed opportunities. It was a close game. I'm really sick of us losing close games, but if the close losses are to teams picked (and likely) to win their conferences or divisions, and the games against others are wins, I'll take that for now. I expected this to be the 3rd or 4th toughest game of the season. If that turns out to be the case, then I don't much mind a 6-point loss to Ohio if we end up going 8-4 or even 7-5. And since that's still a far cry better than quite a few of you predicted as our record, I almost feel like some are looking for reasons to be mad.

Now, if we have similar scores against Ball State, UTEP, UTSA, MUTS, Tulsa, Smiss, Tulane...you know, all of the other games we have a shot at winning...then I'll be a bit negative and angry as well. But if this ends up being our 3rd or 4th worst showing of the season, I'll take it.

I really want a win next week. But I can't wait to see what these guys can do in conference play. And an upset win against Rice...well, that may be asking a bit too much, but I'd happily trade in a loss to another team for a win at home on Halloween, on national TV.

This loss may have some of you feeling down, but it actually makes me feel almost as good as if we had won. Playing close but losing is pretty much what I expected this weekend, though I'd hoped for better. But staying competitive with what I believe is a pretty good (but obviously not Louisville good) Ohio team keeps me very hopeful about the coming months. If we'd suffered a blowout loss, I would be quite negative right now, but losing our 3rd or 4th toughest game by less than a touchdown appears to be quite an improvement over last year.

Edited September 8, 2013 by JesseMartin

[mattmartin817]

I'm going to keep the faith. This game hurt, it would have been really great to win it at the end of the day. When I saw us down 21-7 I thought, well shit, here we go again, this is going to get ugly. We did not play as good as we should have and still made a pretty damn good run at it, and Ohio is not exactly a cream puff team. I think we can get some wins on this schedule, these upcoming teams look weak. Let's go get Ball State next week.

[Proud North Texan]

Go Mean Green and Go coaching staff!! Let's beat the shit out of ball state

[triuunt2002]

I was at Peden Stadium last night to cheer on my Mean Green! It was for sure a tough loss but yet it's the only the second game of the season! We have weeks to go so I'm just keeping my head held high!

[emmitt01]

You know, I don't blame DT. I blame Mac and Canales for not recruiting, developing (or perhaps simply starting) someone better.

[Rudy]

I agree with an earlier post. We are definitely better and improving, no doubt. After the onside kick by Idaho, I saw one of the NT players on the sideline give a disgusted "Dammit, not again!" look on his face and reaction. But they didn't lay down and take it. They got down to Ohio, but they didn't just lay there and let Ohio have their way. We ARE a better team, and bigger, and faster. But we have to make minor changes that will make the next step, like starting a better QB (when you have them on the team such as we do) and tailoring an offensive game plan to your strengths.

[Stephanie Schilleci Pedigo]

"We still play not to lose instead of attacking the other team."

Well said.

[Travis]

Didn't it seem that Whitfield had a really bad game... he gave up a couple that really hurt us bad.

[rcade]

It's really difficult to care about UNT football.

Normally I could agree with that sentiment, but the way UNT fought back to 21-21 gives me hope that this is a different kind of UNT team.

[Got5onIt]

For all the 6 wins prognosticators, don't count the UTSA game as a gimme. No way in hell NT rolls them like Idaho. It will be a coin flip, sadly.....

[Green P1]

For all the 6 wins prognosticators, don't count the UTSA game as a gimme. No way in hell NT rolls them like Idaho. It will be a coin flip, sadly.....

Coin flip games almost always go to the team with better QB play...

[GrandGreen]

It was a close game and NT could have won, but I don't get any of this; NT had the better team and should have won. NT was out played for most of the game with Ohio usually controlling the line of scrimmage They made the big play, NT did not.

Having said that, it is not the end of the football world; NT is exactly were most thought they would be after two games. Idaho was horrible, and most should have known that both before and after NT played them. Ohio is not great, but their program is ahead of NT at this time.

CUSA is very weak, and I don't see anyone in it that NT can't beat, at least in the Western Division. NT will have to play much better and get some semblance of a kicking game, but right now I can see NT favored in all but two CUSA games.

[UNT90]

I think we all know what Ball State's first play from scrimmage will be.

And UNT's will NO DOUBT be a run up the middle for 2 yards...

[Cougar King]

In times of adversity, leaders and winners step up. In the oncoming weeks, you guys will see who on your team steps up and who folds. If DT is the leader the coaches claim him to be and if McCarney is this team's coach, then they will rally this team together and if not, then it's going to be a long season.

We were in a dogfight with Temple yesterday and sat down our 3 year starter for a true freshman in the 2nd quarter and eventually won. If DT doesn't get it done against Ball State, then it's time for Williams to get a shot.

[UNT90]

Coin flip games almost always go to the team with better QB play... the better, more aggresive coaching staff

Fixed

[UNT90]

Same noffense as last year. Same 3 passes on 16 first downs in the first half. Same stubborn pound your head against a wall offense that NEVER does one thing that isn't predictable.

Same DMac and Canales as last year.

All the bullshit coach speak about opening up the offense was just that, bullshit. This was a winnable game with any offensive imagination at all. There was none.

Sadly, I think we get soundly beat next week and obviously blown out at Georgia. Tulane will be a struggle as we will continue to run on just about every 1st down play in the first half, and they will stack the box accordingly.

[meangreener]

I agree with an earlier post. We are definitely better and improving, no doubt. After the onside kick by Idaho, I saw one of the NT players on the sideline give a disgusted "Dammit, not again!" look on his face and reaction. But they didn't lay down and take it. They got down to Ohio, but they didn't just lay there and let Ohio have their way. We ARE a better team, and bigger, and faster. But we have to make minor changes that will make the next step, like starting a better QB (when you have them on the team such as we do) and tailoring an offensive game plan to your strengths.

Thank you for being a voice of reason in a sea of BS (mostly from UNT90.)