Troy ends North Texas’ winning streak

DENTON, Texas – Kenny Cattouse rushed for 109 yards and Sun Belt newcomer Troy beat North Texas 13-10 on Tuesday night to end the Mean Green’s 26-game conference winning streak that began in 2001.

North Texas (1-3, 1-1) hadn’t lost a conference game since a 19-17 defeat to Louisiana-Monroe in their first Sun Belt game, on Oct. 6, 1991. North Texas was trying to match the nation’s longest active conference winning streak held by Boise State, which has won 27 straight Western Athletic Conference games.

North Texas had five turnovers, two of which led to points for Troy (2-3, 1-0).

Johnny Quinn muffed a punt at the North Texas 17 with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the first quarter. Two plays later, Carl Meadows threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Toris Rutledge to put Troy ahead 7-0.

Still, the Trojans led just 10-3 in the fourth quarter when Jamario Thomas, last year’s NCAA Division I rushing champion, fumbled on third-and-1 just past midfield. Bernard Davis recovered to set up Greg Whibbs’ second field goal, a 20-yarder with 8:27 remaining that made it 13-3.

Freshman quarterback Daniel Meager ran for a 20-yard TD with 1:38 left to get the Mean Green within 13-10, but they couldn’t recover an onside kick and Troy ran out the clock.