University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
North Texas
Cajuns Spot North Texas 14-point Lead, Fall Short of Comeback
11/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Friday, Nov. 5, 2004
Statistical Recap
LAFAYETTE -
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns were unable to overcome a
17-point first quarter by North Texas, falling 27-17 in
front of a nationally televised crowd on ESPN2 Friday
night here at Cajun Field.
The loss drops UL Lafayette to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the Sun Belt, while North Texas improves to 5-4 overall and 5-0 in the Sun Belt.
After spotting the Mean Green a 14-0 lead in just 7:07, the Cajuns battled back to a 20-17 deficit on a one-yard touchdown run by Chester Johnson at the 13:12 mark of the fourth quarter. Louisiana-Lafayette moved 45 yards on eight plays, using just 3:46 off the clock.
Just 50 seconds later, Jamario Thomas scored on a back-breaking 58-yard touchdown run to put North Texas ahead by 10. Thomas, the nation's leading rusher, finished with 203 yards on 36 carries.
Antwain Spann spoiled a Mean Green drive with a 22-yard INT return to the NT 41-yard line at the 4:31 mark of the 4th quarter.
Three plays later, North Texas' Jonas Buckles intercepted a Jerry Babb pass at the NT 47-yard line to end the Cajuns' comeback attempt.
The Mean Green scored first capitalizing on a bad center exchange on the Cajuns first punt of the contest.
Louisiana-Lafayette went three-and-out on the game's opening possession and was forced to punt from its own 15-yard line. The snap was low and punter David Schexnayder couldn't get a hold on the ball and turned the pigskin over to the visitors on the 1-yard line.
Thomas found the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead just 2:35 into the contest.
The Ragin' Cajuns early misfortunes continued on the team's second drive of the evening.
Babb completed a pass to Dwight Lindon in the backfield on the first play of the drive. However, Lindon lost control of the ball after a tackle by Walter Priestly knocked it loose at the UL 29 and the Mean Green recovered at the UL 26.
The Mean Green converted on fourth down at the 2-yard line and pushed the advantage to 14-0 two plays later when quarterback Scott Hall rolled around the right side on a busted play into the endzone untouched at 7:53 of the first quarter.
UL Lafayette responded with a 10-play, 60-yard drive that set up a 37-yard field goal by Sean Comiskey to put the home team on the board.
The Mean Green took the three points back on the next drive taking the ball inside the Cajuns 20 with a 50-yard drive.
UL Lafayette sacked Hall on the first play of the ensuing drive for a seven-yard loss. Thomas dug NT out of a hole with a 12-yard rush. That was followed by a third down pass from Hall to Zach Murray for nine yards into UL territory.
Hall found Johnny Quinn for a 22-yard gain down to the UL 3. The Cajuns defense held the Mean Green to a 23-yard field goal that kept the margin at two touchdowns.
After the two teams combined for 20 points in the first quarter, the defenses took charge of the second quarter.
UL Lafayette put a stop to three Mean Green drives, dodging a bullet when an apparent 64-yard touchdown run by Thomas was called back on a holding penalty midway through the second quarter.
The Cajuns offense rewarded the defense with a scoring drive in the final two minutes of the half.
Babb completed six straight passes that marched the Cajuns from their own 34-yard line down to the NT 20. A 10-yard completion to B.J. Crist moved the chains, setting up a first-and-goal.
Three plays later Babb found Bill Sampy in the back of the endzone to cut the deficit to 17-10 heading into the locker room.
The Mean Green put-up the only points of the third quarter when kicker Nick Bazaldua cleared 26 yards on a field goal attempt to give the Mean Green a 10-point edge heading into the final quarter.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
