North Texas Is Out of Its League

North Texas came into the New Orleans Bowl with a losing record, and Colorado State made sure the Mean Green left that way.

Justin Gallimore blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown as Colorado State opened the bowl season with a 45-20 victory Tuesday night.

North Texas (5-7) was the first team with a losing record to play in a bowl game since 1970, when William & Mary went to the Tangerine at 5-6 and lost to Toledo, 40-12.

The Mean Green earned the bowl bid by finishing first in the Sun Belt Conference, which posted a combined 5-32 nonconference record.

A crowd of 18,898 saw Colorado State’s Bradlee Van Pelt throw for one touchdown and run for another score. The Superdome fans were well behaved, a day after the NFL game between the St. Louis Rams and the New Orleans Saints was briefly delayed at the stadium because of debris thrown from the stands.

Gallimore’s touchdown gave Colorado State (7-5) a 31-14 lead, and came only four plays after Van Pelt fumbled on the North Texas 16.

After receiving the opening kickoff, Colorado State needed only three plays to score.

Van Pelt hit Pete Rebstock with a 56-yard pass to set up Brad Svoboda’s two-yard touchdown run on a reverse.

“They’re definitely one of the better teams we have faced this year,” North Texas linebacker Brad Kassel said. “Offensively, they were able to find weaknesses and exploit them.”