SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 11, 2014
Louisiana Tech 42, North Texas 21: Cody Sokol tossed five touchdown passes - three in the second quarter - and the visiting Bulldogs also rode a strong defensive effort to victory in the Conference USA season opener.
Sokol was 12-of-17 for 153 yards in the second quarter - 8-of-14 for 90 in the other periods - as Louisiana Tech (2-1, 1-0) took a 21-0 lead before the Mean Green recorded a first down. Paul Turner caught two touchdown passes while Josh Gaston, Hunter Lee and Trent Taylor grabbed one apiece.
The Bulldogs' Kenneth Dixon was held to 75 yards and a touchdown, one week after rushing for 184 yards and two scores - including a 99-yard jaunt. Starting quarterback Josh Greer was 13-of-27 for 77 yards and rushed for a score for North Texas (1-2, 0-1), which was outgained 196-26 in the first half.
The Bulldogs scored on three straight possessions in the second quarter with the first a 4-yard catch by wide-open tight end Gaston, who slipped out of the backfield. Sokol found Lee uncovered down the right hash marks for a 28-yard touchdown and Turner's first score was a diving 5-yard catch near the right pylon.
Dixon's 2-yard run made it 28-0 in the third and after Greer's 5-yard run put the Mean Green on the board, Louisiana Tech responded with a six-play 71-yard drive in 2:29, capped by Sokol's 21-yard strike to Turner. Sokol completed his night with a 12-yard TD pass to Taylor with 12:59 remaining to make it 42-7.