North Texas defeats South Alabama 52-38 with Chandler Morris scoring five touchdowns

Chandler Morris led North Texas to a 52-38 victory over South Alabama in the season opener for both teams. Major Applewhite made his debut as head coach for South Alabama in the game. Morris threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns while also adding two rushing scores. North Texas scored 38 points in the second half and did not punt after halftime, including a touchdown off a blocked punt by Juwaun Price.
Damon Ward Jr. had an impressive game with 230 yards on 12 receptions and two touchdown catches. Morris completed 32 of 41 passes in the game. South Alabama’s quarterback, Gio Lopez, put up a strong performance with 432 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Jamaal Pritchett had 10 catches for 197 yards, including a touchdown for South Alabama.
The teams combined for a total of 1,132 yards of offense, with North Texas gaining 550 yards and South Alabama with 582 yards. South Alabama briefly held the lead at 19-14 but North Texas scored on every possession after a key stop at the 1-yard line just before halftime. North Texas will host Stephen F. Austin next, while South Alabama will visit Ohio on September 7th.