DENTON, Texas-FAU made its second longest road trip of the 2006 season to play an evenly matched up opponent, the University of North Texas Mean Green.
Both teams came into the game with a 2-3 Sun Belt Conference record and were looking forward to build for next season with a win. The Owls scored on their first offensive possession of the game with a 24-yard field goal by kicker Warley Leroy.
The score was set up by a gutsy call by Offensive Coordinator Gary Nord, calling a running back draw play on fourth down and eight yards to go for a first down. The play set the tone for the Owls’ 17-16 win in front of 9,806 at Fouts Field.
Charles Pierre, running back for the Owls who had over a 100 yards rushing for the fourth time in his career, says the draw play was something they worked on in practice. “Coach isn’t afraid to make gutsy calls,” he said.
In a somber moment, defensive end Josh Jenkins was taken off the field on a stretcher and to a local hospital after suffering a neck injury. Jenkins was motionless on the field for fifteen minutes, before being carted off the field. He did move his hands before entering the ambulance. After the game Jenkins was released from the hospital and traveled home with the team.
With FAU down 10-3 late in the first half, strong safety Kris Bartels intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. The interception evened the score at 10 apiece. Several plays later FAU took their first lead of the game on a one-yard touchdown run by Pierre. The touchdown was Pierre’s fourth of the season and gave the Owls a 17-13 lead going into halftime. Free safety Taheem Acevedo also intercepted a pass in the FAU end zone that prevented a touchdown for the Mean Green. Acevedo also intercepted a pass with 30 seconds left as North Texas was driving for a game-winning field goal.
“We’re a great defense and we need to make big plays,” Acevedo said.
For the second offensive series of the second half, quarterback Sean Clayton came into the game, relieving Rusty Smith. The freshman Smith made his third start of the season ahead of Clayton. FAU Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger knew going into the game it was going to be tough. He gave North Texas many different looks including the two quarterbacks.
“We expected them to be all we can handle,” Schnellenberger said. “We also prepared for a lot of different possibilities [offensively and defensively].”
North Texas pounded the Owls early with a balanced rushing attack. The Mean Green were 2-2 on two third down conversions during the opening drive. They scored quickly on a seven-yard touchdown run by Evan Robertson. The North Texas offensive drive only took five minutes to travel 67 yards in five plays.
Game Facts:
? FAU has only had one Sun Belt Player of the Week in 2006. Linebacker Frantz Joseph won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 23. North Texas has not had a player of the week this year.
? This was the thirteenth time North Texas has played on Nov. 18. Their record on that date is eight wins, with only four losses.
? Last time FAU played at Fouts Field in 2004, home of North Texas, the Owls snapped the Mean Green’s eight game home-winning streak.
? Before FAU and North Texas played in 2004, the Mean Green won four consecutive Sun Belt Conference Championships (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).
? North Texas has gone to three bowl games under Head Coach Darrell Dickey. However, Dickey was fired last week, but kept on to finish out this season.
