LAFAYETTE – Chris Masson threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Marlin Miller with 27 seconds remaining here Saturday, giving Louisiana-Lafayette a comeback 38-34 victory over North Texas in the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Sun Belt Conference opener.

The Cajuns (3-2, 1-0) trailed 34-24 entering the final quarter, but drove 80 yards on 17 plays to set up Brad McGuire’s one-yard quarterback sneak with 9:26 left. After holding the Mean Green (1-4, 0-2) to punts on their next two possessions, ULL drove from its own 42 to the winning score with a key fourth-down holding penalty keeping the drive alive in the final minute.

Lance Dunbar rushed for 184 yards and scored all four touchdowns for North Texas, which has lost 13 straight Sun Belt games. His one-yard touchdown run with 3:51 left in the third period had given the Mean Green the 34-24 lead.

North Texas had a 150-yard advantage in total offense, but ULL scored two defensive touchdowns in the first half in taking a 24-10 lead. Dwight Bentley intercepted a Riley Dodge pass in the final minute of the first quarter and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown, and Andrew Joseph returned a blocked punt 33 yards for a score 4:41 before halftime.

Masson had raced 25 yards for a touchdown in between those defensive scores.

North Texas came back with two quick touchdowns in the final four minutes of the half, with Dunbar scoring from one and 37 yards out to tie it at 24. That was part of 24 unanswered Mean Green points in the second and third quarters.

Dodge completed 24 of 38 passes for 209 yards but was intercepted three times, twice by Bentley. In all, the Mean Green had four turnovers after entering the game ranked last in the Sun Belt in turnover margin.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette 38, North Texas 34

North Texas 3 21 10 0 -- 34

UL Lafayette 7 17 0 14 -- 38

 

First Quarter

UNT – Knott 41 field goal, 8:10

ULL – Bentley 70 interception return (Albrecht kick), 0:37

Second Quarter

ULL – Albrecht 45 field goal, 13:57

UNT – Dunbar 1 run (Knott kick), 9:42

ULL – Masson 25 run (Albrecht kick), 6:14

ULL – Joseph 33 blocked punt return (Albrecht kick), 4:41

UNT – Dunbar 37 run (Knott kick), 3:48

UNT – Dunbar 1 run (Knott kick), 0:37

Third Quarter

UNT – Knott 27 field goal, 10:39

UNT – Dunbar 1 run (Knott kick), 3:51

Fourth Quarter

ULL – McGuire 1 run (Albrecht kick), 9:26

ULL – Miller 4 pass from Masson (Albrecht kick), 0:27

A – 12,141

 

UNT ULL

First Downs 23 18

Rushes-Yards 43-235 38-173

Passing Yards 209 122

Passes (C-A-I) 24-38-3 13-29-0

Return Yards 0 137

Punts-Avg. 4-21.2 6-39.0

Fumbles-Lost 3-1 3-1

Penalties-Yards 11-84 5-65

Time of Possession 35:07 24:53

 

Individual Statistics

RUSHING – UNT, Dunbar 32-187 4 TD, Dodge 11-48. ULL, Sails 18-93, Masson 8-31 1 TD, Aubrey 0-19, Walker 4-15, McGuire 4-14 1 TD, McCullough 1-0, Falgout 1-minus 2, team 1-minus 1.

PASSING – UNT, Dodge 24-38-3, 209 yds. ULL, Masson 13-29-0, 122 yds., 1 TD.

RECEIVING – UNT, Jackson 10-73, Outlaw 6-69, Dunbar 2-37, Carey 2-22, Lewis 1-22, Lott 1-8, Mosley 1-minus 4, Dodge 1-minus 18. ULL, Sails 3-30, Lee 2-30, Green 2-24, Miller 2-22 1 TD, Falgout 2-11, Lawson 1-4, McCullough 1-1.