Mean Green seek upset of ninth-ranked Bulldogs

[Harry]

The ninth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs will continue their three-game homestand on Saturday afternoon when they play host to the North Texas Mean Green.

North Texas has started the year a promising 2-1, with a pair of home wins over Idaho (40-6) and Ball State (34-27) sandwiched between a tough road defeat at Ohio University (27-21). The Mean Greens managed to score 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter last week to take down Ball State.

This will be the first-ever matchup between these two football programs.

North Texas has one of the top offenses in Conference USA, ranking fourth in scoring (31.7 ppg) and third in yardage (465.0 ypg), all while converting an impressive 47 percent of its third-down attempts.

The improvement of quarterback Derek Thompson has been a large reason for the Mean Green's success. The senior is completing greater than 70 percent of his passes for 818 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He is also a threat to move outside the pocket (85 rushing yards, TD).

Darnell Smith is Thompson's most trusted receiving option, catching 22 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown. Combined with Brelan Chancellor (16 receptions, 256 yards, two TDs) and Carlos Harris (12 receptions, 141 yards, TD), North Texas has one of the top receiving corps in C-USA.

Brandin Byrd (35 carries) and Reggie Pegram (33 carries) have nearly split the workload right down the middle in the UNT backfield. The duo has combined for 298 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

While the Mean Green defense looks solid in terms of scoring (20.0 ppg) and yardage (437.3 ypg) numbers, their biggest asset is their propensity for the big play, having recorded an outstanding 11 turnovers, tied for the most in the FBS.

Zachary Orr has proven himself to be one of the top linebackers in the nation in the early going, recording 32 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Marcus Trice, Lairamie Lee and Kenny Buyers have all registered multiple takeaways as well.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/09/18/2696113/mean-green-seek-upset-of-ninth.html#storylink=cpy

[UNT90]

I think Zach gets drafted next Spring.

Maybe our first draft pick in, what, 8 or 9 years?

That drought is just unbelievable.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think Zach gets drafted next Spring.

Maybe our first draft pick in, what, 8 or 9 years?

That drought is just unbelievable.

Going to be hard unless he makes it to the combine. Lots of us were thinking the same thing about Lance... No combine invite, not drafted.