Late Comeback Effort Moves UNT to 5-1

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior wideout DT Sheffield scored two late touchdowns in 1 minute, 40 seconds of game time and mixed in a key punt return, while junior quarterback Chandler Morris threw for 336 yards and four touchdowns to lead UNT to a come-from-behind 41-37 victory over FAU on a rainy Saturday night in south Florida.

"We've got a resilient bunch," head coach Eric Morris said. "We have to clean a lot of things up. We overcame a lot. It's not easy to fly across the country, sit in a hotel room all day and then have it raining all game long. They never sputtered and never lost faith."

After UNT failed on fourth down inside its own 40-yard line with under five minutes to play, the Owls took a 10-point lead with 4:21 to play with a 32-yard field goal that appeared to have put the nail in the Mean Green's coffin.

Instead, Morris drove UNT 75 yards in under two minutes, capped by an 8-yard scoring strike to Sheffield to bring the Mean Green within 37-34 with 2:38 to play. UNT's defense forced a punt on the ensuing FAU drive, which consumed just 55 seconds off the clock. Sheffield returned it 27 yards to give the Mean Green the ball at their own 42-yard line with 1:43 to play.

Two plays later, junior running back Shane Porter scampered 34 yards to the FAU 5-yard line, and two plays after that, Morris found Sheffield again or a 3-yard score with 58 seconds remaining to win the game.

"Chandler actually called the last play, which is something I've never had happen," Eric Morris said. "He had so much conviction in that play. The play was called Cooper Kupp, so we scored on Cooper Kupp."

Sheffield said he knew all he needed was a chance, and he wasn't going to let his quarterback down for giving him the nod.

"I got upset because we were down 10," Sheffield said. "The defense got that stop and I just knew if they got a stop and punt return came, I'd put us in position. I always trust the team and trust the defense. They gave me the opportunity, and I made the best of it.

"Chandler said, 'I need you one play.' I said, 'just give me the opportunity, and I'll do the rest.'"

Eric Morris, who saw his team improve to 5-1 to tie for the best record through six games for a UNT team since 1967, when the Mean Green started 5-0-1, said he was proud of the resilience the team continues to show, especially in the face of numerous injuries, with more coming on Saturday night.

"We had some guys go out, again, in this game," he said. "We lost Landon Peterson, Jake Shipley and Evan Jackson early in the game. This group never gets shaken in those times. We went out and played ball."

Now, the Mean Green will look to improve to 6-1 and move to 3-0 in AAC play when they travel to Memphis next Saturday, which is set for kickoff on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m.

QUICK HITS

The Mean Green win cuts FAU's lead in the all-time series to 8-7, but it was UNT's seventh win in the last nine games in the series.
With the win, UNT moves to 5-1, which ties for the best record through six games since 1967, when UNT started 5-0-1.
UNT's captains for the game were Chandler Morris, Landon Peterson, Roderick Brown and Ridge Texada.
The Mean Green entered the season with 77 newcomers, which is the most in all of FBS. Thirty-six of the 77 newcomers are transfers.
Junior DL Breylon Charles (New Orleans, La.) made his first career start.
UNT is now 3-7 under Eric Morris when trailing at the half and 2-8 when trailing after three quarters.
The Mean Green's 13-play scoring drive to open the game was the third-longest scoring drive of the season, and it was the first time UNT has scored first since the season opener at South Alabama.
With Nick Rempert's touchdown reception, UNT has now had nine players catch at least one touchdown pass this season.
- The nine players ties for second-most by a UNT team with the 2016 and 2023 teams since 1956. The school record is 12 (2022).
- Nine different players with a TD reception is second in FBS behind Auburn, which has 10.
In his first appearance of the season, sophomore DB X'Avion Brice (Arlington, Texas) recovered a muffed punt late in the first quarter to set up UNT's second touchdown of the night.
- The ensuing touchdown drive was the fourth one-play scoring drive of the season for the Mean Green and the third of 10 seconds or less.
After not allowing a Wyoming score on its first possession of the game two weeks ago, UNT gave up a touchdown on FAU's opening drive – the 12th time in the last 13 games UNT has given up points on its opponent's first possession.
Junior QB Chandler Morris (Dallas, Texas) finished 27 for 45 for a season-high 336 yards and four touchdown passes and added five carries for 23 yards.
- Morris made the sixth start of his UNT career and the 15th of his collegiate career.
- Morris eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark for the fifth time in his six games for UNT and the seventh time in his collegiate career.
- The game marked Morris' third straight 300-yard passing game, which is the second-longest such streak in program history behind Mason Fine's four in 2017.
- Morris' 19-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Carnes with 10:29 left in the first quarter was his 17th of the season and 33rd of his career.
- Morris' 25-yard touchdown pass to Nick Rempert with 5:11 left in the first quarter was his 18th of the season and 34th of his career.
- Morris' 8-yard touchdown pass to DT Sheffield with 2:38 remaining was his 19th of the season and 35th of his career.
- Morris' 3-yard touchdown pass to Sheffield with 0:58 remaining was his 20th of the season and 36th of his career.
- His 17-yard run in the first quarter was a new season-long run.
Redshirt freshman RB Makenzie McGill II (Mount Vernon, Texas) finished with seven carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.
- McGill's 3-yard touchdown run with 9:21 left in the third quarter was his fifth of the season to give him five touchdowns on just 21 carries this season.
Junior WR DT Sheffield (Corinth, Miss.) finished with a career-high 11 catches for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
- Sheffield's 126 yards gave him his second career 100-yard receiving game and a new career-high yardage total.
- Sheffield's 8-yard touchdown reception with 12:05 left in the third quarter was the sixth of his career and sixth of the season, and the first away from DATCU Stadium.
- Sheffield's 3-yard touchdown reception with 0:58 left was the seventh of his career and seventh of the season.
Sophomore WR Dalton Carnes (College Station, Texas) finished with three catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.
- Carnes' 19-yard touchdown reception with 10:29 left in the first quarter was his second at UNT and the third of his career.
Senior WR Nick Rempert (Batavia, Ill.) finished with two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown.
- Rempert's 25-yard touchdown reception with 5:11 left in the first quarter was his first at UNT and the second in his career.
Senior DB Jayden Hill (Gahanna, Ohio) finished the day with a game-high eight tackles, including six solo stops, 1.5 tackles for-loss, a sack, an interception and a pass breakup.
Senior LB Jaylen Smith (Hamilton, Ontario) finished the day with a game-high eight tackles, including three solo stops, 1.5 tackles for-loss and a pass breakup.
Sophomore LB Ethan Wesloski (McKinney, Texas) finished the day with seven tackles and a half-tackle for-loss.
- Wesloski's seven tackles tied his season-high.
Redshirt freshman DB Brian Nelson II (Pearland, Texas) finished the day with six tackles, including five solo stops.
Senior LB Jordan Brown (Huntsville, Texas) finished the day with five tackles, including two solo stops, and a tackle for-loss.
Senior DL Roderick Brown (Forney, Texas) finished the day with three tackles, including a solo stop, a sack and a QB hurry.
- Brown's third-quarter sack was his third of the season and 10th of his career.
Junior LB Chavez Brown (Houma, La.) finished the day with two tackles - both solo stops - and a sack.
- Brown's first-quarter sack was his third of the season.
Redshirt freshman K Kali Nguma (Mission, Texas) finished 5 for 5 on extra points and was 2 for 2 on field goal attempts.
- His 40-yarder in the closing seconds of the third quarter pulled the Mean Green within seven points and marked six straight made attempts after starting the year 1 for 3 on field goals.
- His 46-yard field goal in the second quarter tied the score at 17-17 and was a career-long field goal.

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Team Stats

Chandler Morris

Players Mentioned

X'Avion Brice

Chavez Brown

Jordan Brown

Roderick Brown

Dalton Carnes

Breylon Charles

Jayden Hill

Evan Jackson

Makenzie McGill II

Chandler Morris

Brian Nelson II

Kali Nguma

Landon Peterson

Shane Porter

Nick Rempert

DT Sheffield

Jake Shipley

Jaylen Smith

Ridge Texada

Ethan Wesloski

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