SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 22, 2014
North Texas 17, Florida International 14: Reggie Pegram rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown as the Mean Green held off the visiting Golden Panthers.
Andrew McNulty threw for only 105 yards and a touchdown on 9-of-20 passing as North Texas (4-7, 2-5 Conference USA) won for only the second time in seven games. Marcus Smith added a touchdown catch while James Jones and Chad Davis had key fourth-quarter interceptions.
Florida International (4-8, 3-5) managed only 147 total yards in the rainy conditions but stayed in the game due to its defense and special teams. Richard Leonard returned a punt for a touchdown and Jeremiah McKinnon had an interception return for a score.
Pegram got the Mean Green on the board on the second play from scrimmage, breaking loose for a 54-yard touchdown run. McNulty connected with Smith from 4 yards out for a 14-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest.
Leonard gave the Golden Panthers life with his 74-yard punt return near the end of the first quarter and McKinnon made it a 14-14 tie with his 71-yard pick-six with 69 seconds left in the half. Trevor Moore supplied the winning margin with a 36-yard field goal with four seconds left in the third quarter for North Texas, which snuffed out a scoring threat when Jones intercepted Alex McGough in the end zone early in the fourth.