Quick Reaction: North Texas 24 Temple 17

Bowl Bound!

Maybe you are looking at the screenshot above and wondering what the purpose is. Well, it is perhaps indicative of the environment of this game that Temple didn’t start running their live stats. They also produced the ESPN+ broadcast that thought the assistant tight-end coach was Eric Morris all first half. They fixed it after halftime, no doubt helped by the fact that the sideline reporter was interviewing the actual Eric Morris who didn’t look anything like the guy they showed for a half hour of game time.

So it goes.

North Texas took another Most Dangerous Lead — that is, they went up 21 points — at 24-3 and promptly held on for dear life the rest of the way. I cannot possibly do justice to the series of weird events that took place to end at the final score. North Texas threw the ball off a referees face and completed a pass on it. It was a good drive that ended in a missed field goal attempt. That was one of the better drives in the second half.

North Texas started this season with a very good offense that moved the ball confidently. It has ended the regular season with an offense that is lucky to get a first down against one of the league’s worst defenses. The end of the season always produces weird results. Look around the nation and see it for yourself. That Thanksgiving holiday break does something. I always expect some weirdness. Remember we lost to terrible UTEP? This week is weird. You just want a win. This game tested the grit and determination of this squad. Nothing worked reliably. Sure, Mack McGill ran for 155 and 2 scores, but he also fumbled the ball way, and every third run the TE would forget to block and the runner would be destroyed before getting to the line.

The pass game is very suspect. No one looks like they can run past my grandmother, and if they get some space, the odds are like 4-to-1 that they catch it. Ward, Coleman, Carnes, Conwright — doesn’t matter. The QB, who has set records at NT and whathaveyou is throwing to ghosts, throwing short, and leaving the ball hanging. NT had 95 yards passing at the half. It was ridiculous.

North Texas finished with 180 yards passing and 256 yards rushing. Air Raid indeed.

It doesn’t matter. Brian Nelson II intercepted the final Simon pass (after dropping one earlier) to seal the deal. NT wins, getting the sixth win on the six try of the season. NT is bowl-eligible and you are right to be frightened of the challenge some other bowl-eligible squad will present in some bowl someplace on some date in December.

It does not matter, right now. North Texas has accomplished their stated goal for the season: bowl eligibility. They have got that albatross off their neck. Was it impressive? Hell no. They did it, though.

Next they’ll have some time off before they get ready for some bowl someplace nearby where they will try to send out all those long-time Mean Greeners with a long-sought-after bowl win.

GMG

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