Photo: Matt_Brown / iStock / Getty Images
North Texas pulled away to beat the University of Tulsa 52-20 in The American opener for both teams inside DATCU Stadium on Saturday night.
Tulsa (2-3, 0-1 The American) held the Mean Green (4-1, 1-0 The American) scoreless for the first 20 minutes of the ballgame, before the hosts rattled off 24 points in the final five minutes of the first half. North Texas scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to extend its streak to 45 straight points, taking a commanding lead.
Tulsa’s two touchdowns came in the fourth quarter. Cooper Legas found Jack Wright from 18 yards out with 7:29 remaining. Freshman quarterback Tim Carpenter tossed his first career touchdown, finding Connor Vaughn with six seconds remaining in the ballgame.
Seth Morgan was good on both field goal attempts, a 22-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and a 45-yarder with 12:47 to play, to round out Tulsa’s scoring.
The Hurricane amassed 415 yards of offense on Saturday, 186 through the air and 229 on the ground. Kirk Francis finished 13-29 for 101 yards and an interception. Legas passed for 45 yards, Cardell Williams for 32 and Carpenter for eight.
Kamdyn Benjamin was again Tulsa’ leading receiver, pulling down seven passes for 68 yards. Freshman Joseph Williams made his first catch of his career reception, finishing with 51 yards on three receptions.
Bill Jackson recorded 77 yards on 16 carries to lead the Hurricane rushing attack. Viron Ellison added 46. Anthony Watkins rushed for 32 and Carpenter carried the ball for 30 yards on his lone drive.
Despite a slow start, the Mean Green threw for 439 yards and rushed for 179, recording 618 yards of total offense, the most by a Hurricane opponent this season. Chandler Morris finished 22-34 and had every yard for the Mean Green, throwing five touchdowns in the process.
For the first time in a Tulsa game this season, neither team scored in the opening quarter. Each team had a punt and Tulsa failed on two fourth down attempts, while North Texas was stopped on its lone try.
As the first quarter ended, Jackson took an 11-yard rush down to the North Texas two, setting the Hurricane up with a golden opportunity entering the second quarter. Instead, Tulsa settled for a Seth Morgan field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
With 5:33 remaining in the half, Angus Davies hit a beauty of a punt that pinned North Texas down at its own one. On second down from its own four, Balir Conwright took a screen pass 96 yards to give North Texas the 7-3 lead.
The Mean Green extended its lead on the next drive, moving 40 yards in two minutes and hitting a field goal to go up 10-3.
After a Tulsa three and out, Davies had his punt attempt blocked at the Tulsa 26 and recovered at the one-yard line. A play later, Wyatt Young took a direct snap and rushed up the middle to give North Texas a 17-3 lead with 1:28 on the clock.
Francis threw his second interception of the game after a miscommunication with his receiver, and the Mean Green returned it 27 yards to the Tulsa 41. Morris scrambled for 15 yards and then found Young for a 26-yard touchdown pass and North Texas took a 24-3 lead to the half.
The third quarter was all North Texas as UNT scored on its three possessions in the frame to take a 45-3 lead.
Cardell Williams took over under center for TU’s last possession of the half, breaking off a 28-yard run on his first play. He led Tulsa on an 11 play, 48-yard drive that took 3:45 and ended with Morgan’s second field goal of the game, this one from 45 yards.
The Mean Green immediately struck back as MaKenzie McGIll II took the first play from scrimmage 75 yards for a touchdown and a 52-6 lead.
Tulsa would score the final two touchdowns of the game. Legas led the Golden Hurricane on a 9-play, 82-yard drive and found Wright for six. Then Carpenter went on a 12-play 71-yard drive that took 3:31 and ended with him connecting with Vaughn for a touchdown and to bring the score to its final, 52-20.
Next week, the Golden Hurricane hosts Army in Tulsa’s conference home opener at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.