Well, what we all knew was going to happen tonight happened.
Let’s get that out of the way first
UNT lost to LSU.
Unless you wear a green wig, buy into the theory that good coaching overcomes an overwhelming talent disadvantage and drink way too much of the green Kool-Aid, you knew it would probably be ugly.
And if you look at the raw score up there on the board: 41-14, then it was.
Once you look past that, the latest edition of the UNT-LSU money game festivities were not all that bad.
As far as I could tell, no UNT player was snapped in half. UNT’s players appeared to gain some confidence and some of the young players this team is going to need to come through — the three-headed running back monster, Zac Whitfield, et cetera — came through. Whitfield didn’t stand out as someone who didn’t need to be out there. In fact, he posted a huge interception. Redshirt freshman Antoinne Jimmerson showed promise.
Now that I am looking through the stats a little closer, Laramie Lee posted 11 tackles.
Are there aspects of UNT’s team that must improve after tonight? You bet. UNT was not very good offensively early. UNT averaged 2.2 yards a carry.
LSU rushed for 351 yards.
UNT can get better, and it will.
Look down the line, and some of the teams UNT will face didn’t come out of week one looking as intimidating. Texas State beat Houston. Arkansas State is getting hammered by Oregon.
I’m not saying that all is great is UNT land.
This team is going to have to win games it is supposed to win and start stacking up victories before I go down that road, but there is a lot to like about what transpired tonight.