Last-Second Field Goal Lifts North Texas Past Army

Saturday, November 18

Denton, TX

5:30 PM CT

Army West Point

North Texas

Last-Second Field Goal Lifts North Texas Past Army

November 18, 2017 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Army Postgame Notes (PDF)Video Highlights

DENTON, Texas – The Army West Point football team dropped a devastating 52-49 decision at North Texas here Saturday night in a high-scoring affair.

After a back-and-forth game that featured five different tie scores, the Mean Green booted a 39-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to stun the Black Knights.

Despite the outcome, Army compiled a season-high 561 total yards, with 534 of those coming from the ground game, also a season-best mark.

This was the first Army game since a 59-52 double-overtime victory over Louisville on Oct. 7, 1999, that saw more than 100 combined points between the two squads and the first time it happened in regulation since the Black Knights defeated Lafayette, 56-48, on Nov. 15, 1986.

The Black Knights went 8-of-11 on third downs and 1-of-2 on fourth-down conversions. North Texas finished at 7-of-11 and 2-of-2, respectively.

An individual highlight from the night was Ahmad Bradshaw eclipsing Collin Mooney for Army's all-time single-season rushing title. The senior finished with 244 yards on the day and now holds the Academy record at 1,472. He has 2,764 career rushing yards and 24 career touchdowns to his name after two scores in the game.

Also finding the end zone was Darnell Woolfolk and Andy Davidson. Both registered two scores with Woolfolk compiling 120 yards on 18 carries and Davidson adding 72 yards on 11 rushes.

Bradshaw finished 1-of-3 passing on the night with his lone completion being a 27-yard connection to John Trainor on Army's final scoring drive.

The game was tied at 7-7 after both team's scored on their opening drives. The home team posted back-to-back touchdowns to break the game open at 21-7 with 14:45 remaining in the second period. Army responded with two touchdowns in between another North Texas score to make it a 28-20 Mean Green lead at the break.

The Black Knights came out of the gate after halftime and saw Fred Cooper Jr. tie the game up with a 17-yard rush. Unfortunately, the home team answered a little later in the third period to pull back in front, 35-28.

The fourth and final quarter saw five touchdowns and 38 points scored between the two teams. Woolfolk broke free early in that quarter to again knot the score at 35-all. The teams exchanged two touchdowns each over a 13-minute span to set up an exciting final 1:23. The Cadets had North Texas pinned twice on 3rd-and-5, but were unable to keep the Mean Green from picking up the first down. North Texas continued to slowly chip away at the yardage before they watched Trevor Moore hit the eventual game-winning field goal from 39-yards out with five seconds remaining to register the win.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Bradshaw passed Trent Steelman for the most single-season rushing yards for a quarterback in Army history.
He now has 2,764 yards in his career and is seventh all-time on the career rushing list at Army.
Bradshaw ran for his 11th touchdown of the season and 24th of his career.
He is now tied for eighth in Army history with Gil Stephenson with 24 rushing touchdowns.
Bradshaw passed Collin Mooney for Army's single-season rushing crown. He now has 1,472 on the year.
Woolfolk recorded his third multi-touchdown game of the season and fifth of his career.
The junior scored his 10th and 11th touchdown of the year and has a touchdown in seven of his eight games played this year.
Davidson rushed for two touchdowns in the game for the first time this season and the fifth in his career.

HOW IT HAPPENED

North Texas wasted little time putting points up on the scoreboard as it took its opening drive 77 yards into the end zone. Jeffery Wilson completed the 10-play drive that ate up 4:05 off the clock.
Bradshaw and the Black Knights responded, however, with a scoring drive of their own. Despite being faced with a 3rd-and-3 twice during the possession, Bradshaw punched one home from 1-yard out to knot the score at 7-all.
And back-and-forth we went as the Mean Green responded less than a minute-and-a-half later when Mason Fine connected with Turner Smiley for a 45-yard touchdown reception to pull back in front at 14-7.
After Army failed to convert on fourth down during its next possession, North Texas took over at its own 36. The Mean Green were, however, tackled for a loss of two, before being forced to punt two plays later after failing to reach the first-down marker. The Black Knights fumbled the punt return though awarding the home team prime field position after they recovered it at the Army 7-yard line. North Texas then extended its advantage to 21-7 after finding the end zone two plays later.
Army would not go away. The Black Knights answered with a 12-play 75-yard drive, capped off by Bradshaw's 15-yard scoring scamper. Army pulled within 21-13, after a botched snap on the point-after.
North Texas responded to make it a two touchdown ballgame again after Fine found Jalen Guyton for a 10-yard touchdown reception with a little more than seven minutes to play in the half.
Army yet again cut the deficit down during its next possession when Woolfolk broke free from seven-yards out. His score completed a six-play, 75-yard drive.
The home team took the final four minutes and drove the ball into Army territory at the 19-yard line. After picking up a first-down, Fine was picked off by Max Regan, who recorded his second career interception. The Black Knights then ran out the final 53 seconds of the half to head into the locker room only down eight.
After the break, Bradshaw ran the ball three-of-four times before Cooper crossed the goal line for his second touchdown of the season. The Black Knights then decided to go for two after missing a PAT earlier in the contest. Bradshaw's two-point conversion was successful and the game was tied at 28-28.
North Texas scored on its ensuing drive to set up an exciting fourth quarter.
18 seconds into the period Woolfolk rushed for his second touchdown of the contest to knot the score at 35-all.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns over their next four possessions to make it a 49-49 ballgame with 1:23 remaining.
After a 45-yard kickoff by Nick Schrage, North Texas started what would be its game-winning drive from their own 20-yard line. The Mean Green were faced with 3rd-and-5 on two different occasions and were able to earn the needed yardage each time to keep their drive alive. With nine ticks remaining on the clock North Texas set up Moore from 39-yards out for a field goal. The kick was good, leaving just five seconds remaining in the game.
Army tried some laterals late but were unfortunately unable to answer.

UP NEXT

The Black Knights now have some time off before facing archrival Navy in the team's annual showdown on Dec. 9 in Philadelphia, Pa. The Army-Navy Game, presented by USAA will be carried live on CBS with Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce on the call.