Fine injured in 1st quarter, North Texas falls to Utah State 52-13

Published 3:25 am Sunday, December 16, 2018

NORTH TEXAS RUNNING BACK DeAndre Torrey (13) scores a touchdown against Utah State during the first half of the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Utah State walked into the New Mexico Bowl with one of its best records in school history but uncertainty. Its head coach, Matt Wells, left to take the Texas Tech job. Interim coach Frank Maile had to prepare the Aggies with an army of graduate assistants and an announcement a new coach was coming next month.

North Texas, meanwhile, was coming into Albuquerque with experienced coach Seth Littrell and highly touted quarterback Mason Fine.

The Aggies pushed those distractions aside Saturday.

Jordan Love threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns and Jalen Greene had six catches for 151 yards and a score to help Utah State rout North Texas 52-13.

Maile directed the Aggies (11-2) even after Utah State announced former head coach Gary Andersen would return. However, Andersen opted not to attend the bowl game and let Maile finish what he started.



Love completed 21 of 43 passes with one interception. D.J. William had two interceptions, helping Utah State ground high-flying North Texas (9-4).

Aaren Vaughns caught two passes for 109 yards and two scores for the Aggies, Gerold Bright ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and Darwin Thompson added 93 yards on 21 carries.

Maile said he did his best to get the offense ready. The rest was up to the players, he said.

Love said receivers were able to get open, find space and get yards after the catch. “We’ve been doing that all season,” he said.

Fine was injured in the first quarter, and the Mean Green ended up using four quarterbacks. Jalen Guyton had four catches for 103 yards and a score.

Littrell said Utah State was the best team the Mean Green faced all season. “We didn’t have enough in us today to make more plays to have success,” Littrell said.

When Fine came up limping following a nine-yard run in the first quarter, the whole complexion of game changed. “I don’t ever want to put him in harm’s way and he is so tough,” Littrell said. “He wants to do everything he can for his teammates. But as the head coach, sometimes enough is enough.”

After the game, North Texas officials announced that Fine had a severe left strained hamstring.