UNT Falls at UTSA Despite Big Effort From Porter

SAN ANTONIO – UNT junior running back Shane Porter rushed for a career-high 193 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory on Friday night against UTSA, as the Mean Green's losing streak hit four games with their 48-27 loss at the Alamodome.

Porter became the first UNT player in the last 25 years to have at least 193 yards on the ground, three or more rushing touchdowns, average better than 14 yards per carry and have at least one reception in a game, as he had long touchdown runs of 79, 39 and 43 yards.

The Mean Green (5-5, 2-4 AAC) were outscored 14-0 in the first quarter and trailed 27-7 at halftime before climbing back in the second half and pulling within six points at 33-27 early in the fourth quarter after Chandler Morris' 14-yard touchdown pass to Blair Conwright.

Morris struggled to find a rhythm in the passing game, especially in the first half, when he was just 5-for-12 for 49 yards, but had some success in the second half to finish with 241 yards in the air with the touchdown pass to Conwright and two interceptions.

UNT allowed a season-high 681 total yards to UTSA, which was also the seventh-most yards allowed in a game in program history. For the fourth straight game, an opposing rusher eclipsed the 150-yard mark.

UNT has two games remaining to pick up a sixth win and bowl eligibility, and the Mean Green's next chance comes next Saturday, Nov. 23, at home as the Mean Green host East Carolina for Senior Day in the final home game of the year at DATCU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

QUICK HITS

The Mean Green loss extends UTSA's series advantage to 8-5 all-time.
UNT's captains for the game were Chandler Morris, Ridge Texada, Roderick Brown and Damon Ward Jr.
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.
The Mean Green's starting offensive line of Braydon Nelson, Paula Vaipulu, Tyler Mercer, Jett Duncan and Landon Peterson was their eighth different starting combination up front this season.
UNT is now 3-11 under Eric Morris when trailing at the half and 2-12 when trailing after three quarters.
UNT allowed 40+ points for the fourth time this season and is now 0-4 In those games. The Mean Green are 1-9 Under Morris when allowing 40 or more points.
UTSA's 681 total yards was the most allowed by UNT this season, besting the previous high of 586 by Texas Tech on Sept. 14, and the seventh-most yards allowed to an opponent in program history.
UNT was shut out in the first quarter for the first time since Sept. 28 against Tulsa. UNT went on to win that game 52-20.
When Shane Porter scored with 14:42 left in the second quarter, it broke a scoreless streak of 68:18, dating back to last week's first quarter against Army when the Mean Green opened a game with a field goal with 8:10 to play in the first quarter.
- That one-play scoring drive was the seventh such scoring drive for UNT this year, and the seventh play of 70 yards or more this season – both are most in FBS.
The Mean Green rushed for a season-high 239 yards as a team.
UNT held its opponent scoreless on its opening drive of the game for just the third time in the last 17 games.
The 14-play scoring drive or UTSA in the second quarter was the second-longest drive in terms of plays by a UNT opponent this year, behind Army's 21-play scoring drive last week.
UNT ran just 23 plays and had the ball for only 8:42 in the first half – both season-lows in the first half this season.
UNT recorded an interception for the third straight game for the first time since Weeks 9-11 of the 2022 season (Oct. 22-Nov. 5)
UTSA's Robert Henry rushed for 168 yards, marking the fourth straight game an opposing player has rushed for 150+ yards against UNT.
Junior QB Chandler Morris (Dallas, Texas) finished 21 for 36 for 241 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
- Morris made the 10th start of his UNT career and the 19th of his collegiate career.
- Morris now has 3,328 yards passing this season, putting him in fifth on the single-season list – 54 yards shy of Chandler Rogers (2023), who passed for 3,382.
- Morris' 3,328 yards puts him in 11th on the program's all-time career list behind Chandler Rogers (2023), who threw for 3,382.
- Morris' 270 total yards moved him into fifth on the program's single-season total offense list with 3,514 yards.
- Morris' 14-yard touchdown pass to Blair Conwright with 12:03 remaining was his 27th of the season and 43rd of his career and it snapped a 106 minute, 38 second stretch without a touchdown pass, dating back to the Tulane game. His 27th of the season tied him for fifth in single-season history with Mason Fine (2018).
Senior WR Damon Ward Jr. (Beaumont, Texas), finished with four catches for 85 yards.
- Ward's 85 yards gives him 1,723 in his career, which puts him in 15th on the program's all-time list behind Michael Lawrence (2016-19).
- Ward's four catches puts him at 116 in his career, which ties him for 17th place on the program's all-time list with Brelan Chancellor (2010-13).
Junior RB Shane Porter (Friendswood, Texas) finished the night with 13 carries for 193 yards and had three touchdowns while adding a catch for 8 yards.
- Porter's 193 yards on the ground gave him his second 100-yard rushing game of his career and is a new career high.
- Porter is the first UNT player in the last 25 years to have 193+ rushing yards, 3+ rushing touchdowns, average better than 14 yards per carry and have at least one reception in a game.
- Porter's 193 yards made him the first UNT player to rush for 150 yards or more in a game since DeAndre Torrey had 179 against Marshall on Oct. 15, 2021.
- Porter's three touchdowns marked his first career game with multiple touchdowns.
- Porter's three touchdowns make him the second UNT player this season to rush for three or more touchdowns in a game, joining Makenzie McGill III, who did it earlier this season against Wyoming. It's only the third season in program history that has ever happened (2024, 2009 and 2003).
- Porter's 79-yard touchdown run with 14:42 left in the second quarter was the longest run of his career and his third touchdown of the season.
- Porter's 39-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in the third quarter was his fourth of the season.
- Porter's 43-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left in the third quarter was his fifth of the season.
Senior WR Blair Conwright (Lubbock, Texas) finished the night with five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.
- Conwright's 14-yard touchdown reception with 12:03 to play was the fifth of his season and 10th of his career.
- Conwright's five receptions tied his season high.
Senior DB Jayden Hill (Gahanna, Ohio) finished the night with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, and a half-tackle for-loss.
Senior LB Jaylen Smith (Hamilton, Ontario) finished the night with nine tackles, including three solo stops and two QB hurries.
Senior LB Jordan Brown (Huntsville, Texas) finished the night with eight tackles, including four solo stops, 1.5 tackles for-loss and a half-sack.
Redshirt freshman DB Brian Nelson II (Pearland, Texas) finished the night with nine tackles – all solo – and an interception.
- His nine tackles tied a career high.
- His interception late in the second quarter was his third the year and was his second in as many weeks.
- Nelson has 70 return yards on his three interceptions this year, which is just five return yards shy of the single-season top 10 in program history.
Sophomore LB Ethan Wesloski (McKinney, Texas) finished the night with six tackles, including two solo stops, a half-sack and a half-tackle for-loss.
Freshman DB Quinton Hammonds (Allen, Texas) finished the night with six tackles – all solo.
Senior DL Roderick Brown (Forney, Texas) finished the night with two tackles and a half-tackle for-loss and a sack.
- His second-quarter tackle for-loss to force a turnover on downs gave him 18.0 in his career.
Junior LB Chavez Brown (Houma, La.) finished the night with six tackles, including five solo stops, two tackles for-loss and a sack.
- Brown's sack gave him four on the year.
Junior DL Breylon Charles (New Orleans, La.) finished the night with a sack.
- His second-quarter sack was his third of the year and gave him 3.5 in his career.
Redshirt freshman K Kali Nguma (Mission, Texas) finished 3 for 3 on extra points.

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Team Stats

Chandler Morris

Players Mentioned

Chavez Brown

Jordan Brown

Roderick Brown

Breylon Charles

Blair Conwright

Jett Duncan

Quinton Hammonds

Jayden Hill

Makenzie McGill II

Tyler Mercer

Chandler Morris

Braydon Nelson

Brian Nelson II

Kali Nguma

Landon Peterson

Shane Porter

Chandler Rogers

Jaylen Smith

Ridge Texada

Paula Vaipulu

Damon Ward Jr.

Ethan Wesloski

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