UNT falls 41-14 to LSU

UNT was sharp at times, but LSU’s top-rated defense and costly Mean Green turnovers were too much to handle.

On Saturday, the Mean Green could not overcome No.3 Louisiana State in its season opener, falling 41-14 at Tiger Stadium.

Though the Mean Green lost by 27 points as a 43-point underdog, the team is not considering this a disappointing start to the 2012 season.

“We’re not accepting losing,” head coach Dan McCarney said in a postgame press conference. “Changing culture is making sure that kids understand that ‘Good job, good job, good job’ is horse crap. It’s not a good job. That’s inexcusable.”

This marks the second year in a row UNT has played a top SEC school in the non-conference portion of the schedule.

Though he did not know the exact figure, UNT Athletic Director Rick Villarreal confirmed that the Mean Green was paid more this year to play LSU than the $750,000 the No. 2 Alabama team paid last year.

UNT was sharp at times, but LSU’s top-rated defense and costly Mean Green turnovers were too much to handle for UNT.

Things were bleak for the Mean Green in the early portions of the game, as LSU’s defense held UNT without a first down in the first quarter and the Tigers jumped out to an early 14-0 advantage.

UNT gained a little momentum when junior defensive back Hilbert Jackson sacked LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, temporarily knocking him out of the game.

“Coach called a blitz for me, so I just came off, and I saw him and I strike him,” Jackson said of the play. “I was just trying to do something to get my team going.”

In the second quarter, Mettenberger returned, and LSU extended the lead to 24-0. UNT’s first score was an 80-yard catch by junior wide receiver Brelan Chancellor from redshirt junior quarterback Derek Thompson.

Though the UNT defense held the Tigers to only a field goal in the third quarter, the Mean Green went scoreless in the quarter.

LSU connected for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Thompson and Chancellor quickly retorted for their second touchdowns of the game. The Mean Green offense wasn’t able to produce any points after the second score.

“LSU’s a good team, but we had a lot of confidence coming in,” Thompson said. “We had at least 10 three-and-outs. That’s unacceptable. That’s a thing we’re pinpointing right now, so we know we’ve got to get better at that.”

The Mean Green’s next action will be Saturday, as it opens in Apogee Stadium against Texas Southern at 6 p.m.