Blame it on the FAA.
The game started with a defensive stop. The offense trotted out and ran for a five yard loss. Uncharacteristic. They usually have a better idea and execution. Brec Long broke his leg on the play.
That was maybe an omen. Maybe the waiting on the plane and bus was the cause.
Maybe it was bad luck.
North Texas punted. Then for another stop. Then for the ball inside their own 10. The RPO they run all the time. Jackson pulled the all, looked to the quick hitch to Justin Stevenson. The pass is low. Stevenson tried to scoop it. It pops up. UTSA’s cornerback grabs it out of the air. Touchdown UTSA.
A curse.
Fast forward to North Texas’ defense having a guy wrapped up but not down and he spins away for a long touchdown. His first of four on the night that all looked similar. Only one was shorter than 30 yards. And that one came after NT had them pinned, facing 3rd and 20.
North Texas entered halftime looking at a 21-3 halftime deficit. That 3 points came after Tayven Jackson threw the ball to UTSA’s linebacker but he dropped it. Tayven also nearly threw a second interception. Also dropped.
He DID throw another that was returned for six but was called back for defensive holding.
A poor showing by our starting quarterback who has been so very excellent all season. It happens. He shook it off last week and in the third quarter when he broke loose for a long run for 18 yards he came up injured. Season over. Career over. Just like that.
It wasn’t all him. Baron Tipton has a 49 yard reception in third and 10 in the second quarter and FUMBLED.
UTSA would score a TD. That’s 14 points off turnovers in the first half. Can’t win that way.
Enter Chris Jimerson. He wears a very special number in program history — Andrew Smith’s 12 after special dispensation from the Smith family.
He had an opportunity to be a legend. As it was, it was a good effort with clear limitations in his game. He competed the drive with a 3rd down desperation heave to Max Reese. TD NT after Reese bullied his way in for six.
21-10.
Next Nortt Texas and UTSA traded punts (2 each) and UTSA threw one interception. Two of NT’s possessions were nearly great. One Jimerson misfired in a wide open Kyle Koch. The defensive back fell and it looked like six. Or at least big yards. Instead: punt.
On the other he just misses Stevenson on a first down bomb. Justin came up limping.
Then came the best Jimerson drive of the night. Aided by a couple of penalties on UTSA — this game was lousy with flags in both teams — Jimerson scrambled for 9 to out NT at 16 points pending the PAT.
It’s 21-16 after the misses 2-pointer.
NT forces a three-and-out, the 4th straight stop for the defense of the second half. UTSA has just 30 yards in those four drives total.
North Texas gets the ball with 6:57 left — the stadium is down to about 45% attendance. 4-and-out.
Chris Jimerson is dynamic, quick. He can throw a nice long ball. He can run and make dudes miss.
Can he run this offense? Not sure.
He finished third to Chaston Ditta but has a running QB package because of his legs. He led the squad to two touchdown drives. But two wasn’t enough.
There’s no telling how Tayven Jackson would have done given he was not playing well, but last week he shook off a poor first half to light up Rice and lead the offense to 42-second half points.
The CJ12 offense looked limited to about 6 plays. Once UTSA had that clocked, they dared Jimerson to read and adjust. He couldn’t.
He never looked left. His reads looked like right side only (fades and slants) and runs. His last two full drives were turnovers on downs that sandwiched long runs by Peterson.
North Texas is now 1-7 in the dome. UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor is 28-1 in league play at home.
The dome wasn’t loud to cause penalties — NT has plenty of false starts with no crowd noise in an half-empty stadium just because that’s their M.O.
It did cause injuries. Long, Jackson out for the season. White limping.
What can you say. It’s football, a cruel and physical sport where crazy, ugly things happen.
North Texas did not lose this because of injuries. The starting squad did plenty to gift some points. Neal Brown the play caller was poor early. Apportion him some blame.
The players deserve some blame. Drops, poor throws, bad tackling, missed assignments. That’s how you lose a game you were competitive in.
North Texas is now 5-1, in three way tie with UTSA and Memphis. UTSA has the head-to-head against the Mean Green now. Memphis or UTSA could host this thing.
Memphis has Navy and Temple. I think they go 2-0 there. Navy is maybe the game they could drop but that’s tough.
UTSA has UAB and Tulsa. I think they split that. UAB has a ridiculous defense now and I don’t know that UTSA has much offense. That’s in Birmingham.
Tulsa is tough but that’s also in San Antonio where we know the football all gods curse all who enter the visiting locker room.
North Texas? Well we also have UAB but after Tulane. The Green Wave are bad but North Texas has a very questionable offense now. It’s not the one that entered the game tonight as the best in the league.
NT had 300 yards barley. The defense held UTSA but this wasn’t built to hold teams to 10 points. It was built to get stops for the powerful offense.
Tulane is bad enough that a mid-table offense could maybe win. I don’t know. UAB’s good defense though? I was already concerned. Now I might be frightened.
As you curse the Alamodome and go through the stages of grief and pain, know that there is still plenty to play for and a hell of a challenge for the staff and whichever QB gets the starting nod going forward.
GMG