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Murfreesboro, Tenn.
(10/27/12) - Logan Kilgore threw for three touchdowns and rushed for one of his
own to lead the Middle Tennessee football team to a 38-21 win against North Texas on Saturday afternoon
at Floyd Stadium.
The Blue Raiders improve to
5-3 and 3-1 in the Sun Belt, while North Texas falls to 3-5 and 2-2 in the
conference. North Texas leads the series, 7-5.
Middle Tennessee struck
early and often, jumping out to a 24-0 halftime lead. The Blue Raiders
capitalized on two Mean Green interceptions, and Kilgore threw three touchdowns
in the first two quarters to put the Mean Green deep in a hole.
North Texas responded with
two touchdowns in the third quarter and one in the fourth, but it was not
enough to overcome the first-half deficit. For the third straight game, the
Mean Green was slow coming out of the gates, and unlike last week, was not able
to make up the lost ground.
Kilgore passed for 349 yards
and three touchdowns in the game. He completed 20 of his 30 passes, and rushed
for a 45-yard touchdown. Kyle Griswould and Anthony both had 100-yard receiving
days for the home team. The
North Texas defense allowed 330 yards of passing in the first three quarters,
which was more yards than the Mean Green had allowed through the air in any
game this season.
The Blue Raiders did not let
up in the second half, scoring 14 points in the third quarter. Reggie Whatley's
60-yard kick-off return at the start of the second half set up a Jordan Parker
4-yard touchdown run. Kilgore scored on his own, tucking and running for 45
yards midway through the third.
North Texas did not get on
the scoreboard until the 10:20 mark in the third quarter. Antoinne Jimmerson
scored from two yards out to cut the Middle Tennessee lead to 31-7. Darnell
Smith set up the touchdown run with a career-high 41-yard reception that put
the ball at the MT 12-yard line.
True freshman Carlos Harris
caught his first career touchdown pass with a 13-yard grab at 1:26 in the third
quarter. The catch was also the second of his career. The touchdown cut the NT
deficit to 38-14. For the second time, Darnell Smith set up the touchdown with
a 35-yard catch at the MT 34.
Jimmerson scored his second
touchdown of the day and NT's third with a 15-yard run at 6:38 in the fourth. Jeremy
Brown's 27-yard run set up the scoring play. The trio of Brandin Byrd, Jimmerson
and Brown combined for 222 rushing yards.
North Texas was driving down
the field, looking for its fourth touchdown of the second half but Thompson was
intercepted in the endzone with two minutes left in the game to seal the win
for the Blue Raiders.
Thompson passed for 200
yards for his sixth straight game but was intercepted three times. He completed
17 of 29 passes for 221 yards.
Big plays were the story in
the first half. On NT's first offensive possession. Thompson's third pass of
the day was intercepted by the Blue Raiders. The ensuing MT drive culminated
with an 18-yard pass from Kilgore to Amos.
Kilgore went 11-for-15 in
the first half with two touchdown passes. Griswould caught three passes for 140
yards and two touchdowns.
North Texas returns to
action on Saturday, Nov. 3 when it hosts Arkansas State at Apogee Stadium at 4
p.m.
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