North Texas-FAU recap: Mean Green survive injury scare, expel late-game demons

By Hoss McBain

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DENTON -- You could have heard a pin drop at Apogee Stadium when North Texas’ most beloved son, quarterback Mason Fine, went down in a motionless heap.

Fine just set the UNT record for career passing yards a week ago. Earlier in the game, he surpassed the all-time total yardage record. But after getting blasted from both directions by FAU defenders thanks to a pair of whiffed blocks, it became painfully clear just how fragile a football season can be.

North Texas coach Seth Littrell was frank when asked what went through his head the moment his superstar quarterback went down.

“That’s not good,” Littrell said. “I think I had the same feeling everyone in the stadium felt.”

Luckily, Fine was diagnosed with just a deep laceration on his hand, and was able to return for a 41-38 win over rival FAU. But still, barely 18,000 fans were in attendance on Thursday for a big win featuring one of the best teams in program history. After Fine’s injury scare, everyone in Denton should remember that winning football games is no guarantee.

A season ago, the Mean Green (8-3, 4-3)  played FAU twice, both on the road. Despite putting together one of the best FBS seasons in program history, the Mean Green lost both games against the Owls (5-6, 3-4)  by a combined 62 points. North Texas also has three losses; in all three, the Mean Green blew double-digit leads. On both counts, this time was different.

The Mean Green got off to a quick 17-0 lead against the Owls. Fine was monstrous to start, completing 14-of-18 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns. But after FAU cut the lead to 20-7, the Owls nearly swung the game in just 13 seconds of game time.

FAU got into the end zone on a one-yard Devin Singletary run with 10:52 remaining in the second quarter. Fine then threw just his third interception of the season, which FAU running back Kerrith White ran in from 29 yards on the next play to take a 21-20 halftime lead.

“I didn’t want to take the lead at halftime,” Littrell joked, pointing to the Mean Green’s other three losses. “We play better down one I think.”

Early in the third quarter, Fine went down. What he originally thought was a small cut was actually a deep gash that required stitches. But while he received treatment, an unlikely – and familiar – hero emerged for UNT.

On senior night no less, backup quarterback Quinn Shanbour made the biggest plays of his career in relief of an ailing Fine. Shanbour went under center and made the biggest plays of his lengthy (10 years, as he joked postgame) career in Denton.

Shanbour took over for Fine at the seven-yard line, and ran in for a two-yard touchdown two plays later. On the next drive, cornerback Nate Brooks nabbed his fifth interception of the year to give the Mean Green a short field. SIx plays later, Shanbour ran it in from 18 yards out for his second rushing touchdown of the game to take a 34-24 lead over the Owls.

“Maybe I provided a spark,” Shanbour said. “We were driving at the time, so I think if either he or I was in there, we were going to score.”

Coming into senior day, Shanbour had one career touchdown. These were his first two career scores at Apogee Stadium. It was an emotional day for the senior, but one that he will never forget.

“He came in for Mason Fine and did a great job,” FAU head coach Lane Kiffin said. “When the all-time leading passer goes out, there could have been a drop off. Their backup came in and did a great job for them.”

But even after building a 10-point lead, North Texas wasn’t out of the woods yet. Singletary rushed for his second touchdown of the day, and UNT’s lead went down to three. Fine came back into the game and FAU missed a 41-yard equalizer early in the fourth.

North Texas running back DeAndre Torrey broke off a 92-yard run late in the fourth quarter that seemed to ice the game. FAU responded 28 seconds later with a 55-yard touchdown pass between Big 12 transfers Chris Robison and Jovon Durante. But with two highly-touted offenses on the field, it was a defensive player that made the biggest grab of the game.

Defensive back Khairi Muhammad jumped a passing lane with minutes left on the clock and nabbed what ended up being a game-winning interception. North Texas was able to run out the clock from there.

And really, despite gaudy offensive numbers, the defense ended up saving the game. On a day where Fine racked up a pair of interceptions – doubling his season-long number – the Mean Green defense forced a pair. UNT also held Singletary, one of the nation’s best rushers, to just 91 yards on 4.0 yards per carry.

“I knew it was going to be a battle,” Fine said. “The message at halftime was simple – don’t press. We came out in the second half and got back in the game. I think one side of the ball [defense] picked up the other side.”

Fine finished the game completing 22-of-33 for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Torrey posted 184 yards and a 92-yard score against the Owls, and added another 38 yards and a touchdown through the air. Kicker Cole Hedlund continued his monstrous senior campaign by hitting a pair of field goals and all five extra points.

Robison completed 21-of-35 for 294 yards and two touchdowns for FAU. Wide receiver Harrison Bryant led the way with six catches for 138 yards and a score.

With the win, North Texas won eight games in consecutive seasons for the first time since Darrell Dickey in 2003. If the Mean Green can win next week against UTSA, they can post back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time since Hayden Fry in 1978. This is a special team, and there’s still plenty left to accomplish in 2018.

North Texas faces off against UTSA at 6 p.m. at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

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