SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 14, 2013
North Texas 34, Ball State 27: Derek Thompson threw for one
touchdown and ran 27 yards for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter
as the Mean Green rallied to edge the visiting Cardinals.
Thompson completed 31-of-47 passes for 274 yards and
rushed six times for 72 yards as North Texas (2-1) came back from a
27-16 halftime deficit. Brelan Chancellor caught nine passes for 88
yards, including a touchdown, and the Mean Green also forced five
turnovers.
Keith Wenning went 27-of-46 for 333 yards and two
scores but threw his second interception on the Cardinals’ final drive
that started with 1:57
left. Horactio Banks gained 141 yards rushing on 11 carries with a
touchdown for Ball State (2-1), which had scored 91 points in its first
two games.
Wenning threw his first of two touchdown strikes to
Willie Snead, Banks ran 77 yards for another TD and safety Brian Jones
scored on a 3-yard fumble return to give Ball State a 20-3 lead after
one quarter. The Mean Green fought back in the second quarter on a pair
of field goals by Zach Paul and Thompson’s 24-yard scoring pass to
Chancellor with 1:50 left.
Reggie Pegram’s 32-yard TD run and a two-point
conversion shaved Ball State’s lead to 27-24 early in the third quarter.
Paul’s 19-yard field goal tied it early in the fourth before Thompson
burst up the middle for the winning touchdown with 9:47 left.