Mestemaker Torches 49ers With Record 608 Yards

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker rewrote the UNT passing record book and had a performance that will go down as one of the most prolific in college football history en route to a 54-20 come-from-behind win over Charlotte on Friday night that moved the Mean Green to 7-1 on the season for the first time since 1977.

Mestemaker completed 37 of 49 pass attempts for a school- and conference-record 608 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Mean Green to a furious comeback effort that saw them trail 17-7 and then outscore Charlotte 47-3 from the 8:30 mark of the second quarter until the end of the game. They outscored Charlotte 27-0 in the fourth quarter.

"It was awesome just going out there and doing that," Mestemaker said. "I didn't even know it happened honestly. Our coaches said they were going to get me in there, break the record and get me out. That's what I did. The coaches trusted me to distribute the ball and that's what we did."

Mestemaker's monster night marks the most yards an FBS player has thrown for since K.J. Costello threw for 623 yards for Mississippi State against LSU in 2020 and is the 16th best passing yardage total in FBS history. It's the second-most by a freshman or redshirt freshman in FBS history behind Nevada's David Neill, who threw for 611 in a loss to New Mexico State on Oct. 10, 1998. Mestemaker had 16 passes of 15 or more yards, and the team's previous best this season was nine.

The Mean Green (7-1, 3-1 American) had three receivers eclipse the century mark – the first time that had happened since a famous shootout with Navy on Nov. 10, 2007, when Casey Fitzgerald, Korey Washington and Sam Dibrell all hit 100 yards or more through the air. On Friday, it was a banged up Wyatt Young that led the way with career highs in catches (nine) and yards (190), along with Cameron Dorner (seven catches for 117 yards) and Landon Sides (five catches for a career-high 114 yards).

Now, UNT will head home and await a Navy team that could come to Denton undefeated depending on what the Midshipmen do Saturday.

That game is set for an 11 a.m. kickoff at DATCU Stadium on Nov. 1.

"I'm happy with the way we played tonight, but it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows at the beginning," Mestemaker said. "We have to clean some stuff up. We have a really good Navy team coming to town next week, and we'll get ready to go 8-1."

QUICK HITS

UNT defeated Charlotte, 54-20, in the third all-time meeting between the programs and won its first meeting in the series.
UNT improved to 8-7 all-time and 3-0 this season in road games under head coach Eric Morris.
UNT is now 1-1 under Morris when tied at the half and improved to 15-0 when leading after three quarters.
UNT's captains for the game were Ethan Day, Sawyer Evans and Briceon Hayes.
The Mean Green entered the season with 68 newcomers, which is the second-most in FBS behind Utah State. Forty-two of the 68 newcomers are transfers, which is the second-most in FBS behind New Mexico (49).
Senior OL Ugonna Nnanna made his first start for UNT and the 10th start of his career.
When Charlotte took a 17-7 lead with 11:27 left in the second quarter, it was the first time UNT trailed by 10 or more points since it trailed 24-10 in the third quarter at Western Michigan on Sept. 6. UNT went on to win that game 33-30 in overtime.
The win marked the fourth win this season by 28 points or more, which is a new program record, and ties the Mean Green with Oregon, Ohio State and Utah for the most victories by 28 or more points in the country.
UNT outscored Charlotte 47-3 from the 8:30 mark of the second quarter until the end of the game.
UNT's 27 fourth-quarter points is the second-most in program history, tied with Drake in 1976 and behind only Utah State in 1997, when UNT scored 32 points in the fourth.
UNT's first possession ended with a 41-yard Cameron Dorner touchdown reception to cap a 50-second scoring drive. It was UNT's eighth scoring drive this season of under one minute – all touchdowns.
UNT tied the game at 17-17 with 4:14 left in the first half after a 91-yard scoring drive – its longest scoring drive of the season.
For the second time in three weeks, UNT was tied at the half. Prior to the game against South Florida on Oct. 10, UNT had not had a tie score at halftime in Eric Morris' tenure.
The Mean Green have now scored 50 or more points four times this season. The only other time that has happened was in 1951.
The Mean Green have now scored at least 30 points in each of the first eight games for the first time in program history after hitting seven straight last week for the first time in program history.
- It also marks the first time in program history a UNT team has scored 30+ points in eight straight games.
UNT's 754 yards of total offense was the second-most in program history, behind 768 against Middle Tennessee in 2020.
UNT had three players reach 100 yards receiving, as Cameron Dorner, Landon Sides and Wyatt Young all hit the century mark – only the third time this has happened in FBS this season.
- The last time UNT had three players eclipse 100 receiving yards was the Nov. 10, 2007, when Casey Fitzgerald (134), Korey Washington (127) and Sam Dibrell (113) did it against Navy.
UNT had 16 passes of 15 or more yards, besting the previous season high of nine.
For the second time this season, and second straight week, and the 15th time in the Eric Morris era, UNT rolled up at least 500 yards of total offense.
The Mean Green have now scored in 29 straight quarters, including overtime periods, and haven't been shut out since the first quarter of the game at Western Michigan on Sept. 6.
UNT had just eight players catch at least one pass in the game.
- Entering the day, the Mean Green had at least eight players catch a pass in 22 of the last 23 games dating back to UTSA on Nov. 4, 2023 – all but two games of the Eric Morris era.
For the seventh straight week, UNT had two players record a rushing touchdown.
The Mean Green had three scoring drives of at least 75 yards, giving them 14 scoring drives this year of 75 yards or more – all touchdown drives.
On Saturday, UNT went 4-for-5 in the red zone (three touchdowns, one field goal). UNT has 36 red-zone touchdowns this season and has scored in 44 of 47 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line this year. The 36 red zone touchdowns is the most in FBS.
UNT now has 26 rushing touchdowns on the season, which is the most in FBS.
RS Freshman QB Drew Mestemaker (Austin, Texas) finished 37-of-49 for 608 yards passing and four touchdowns through the air.
- Mestemaker's 608 passing yards was the most by any player in FBS this season, the most in program history and the most in American Conference history, and it was the second 500-yard passing performance in program history (Daniel Meager, 601, at SMU on Sept. 8, 2007).
- His 608 passing yards is the most by any FBS player since Mississippi State's K.J. Costello threw for 623 against LSU on Sept. 26, 2020, and it is the 16th most passing yards in a game in FBS history.
- Mestemaker's 608 passing yards is the most for a freshman in the last 30 years.
- Mestemaker now has 2,468 passing yards this season for a new single-season passing yards program record for a freshman, moving him past Giovanni Vizza (2,388 in 2007).
- Mestemaker threw for 329 yards in the first half, becoming the first UNT quarterback to pass for 300 yards in a first half since Austin Aune threw for 384 in the first half in a win over FIU on Nov. 5, 2022. The 329 first-half passing yards is the most by any quarterback in FBS in a half this season.
- Mestemaker became the 17th player in program history eclipse 2,000 passing yards in a season and is the 21st to post 2,500 passing yards in a career.
- Mestemaker had at least three touchdown passes in a game for the fourth time this season.
- Mestemaker's 41-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Dorner with 12:25 left in the first quarter was his 18th of the season and 20th of his career and was UNT's fifth longest passing play of the season.
- Mestemaker's 6-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Hawkins with 4:14 left in the second quarter was his 19th of the season and 21st of his career.
- Mestemaker's 7-yard touchdown pass to Hawkins with 12:26 left in the game was his 20th of the season and 22nd of his career.
- Mestemaker's 70-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Young with 9:03 remaining was his 21st of the season and 23rd of his career and was the longest play for UNT this season.
Freshman RB Caleb Hawkins (Shawnee, Okla.) finished the day with 13 carries for 48 yards and added four catches for 39 yards and two touchdowns.
- Hawkins' 6-yard touchdown reception with 4:14 left in the second quarter was his second of the year and his ninth overall touchdown.
- Hawkins' 7-yard touchdown reception with 12:26 remaining was his third of the year and his 10th overall touchdown.
Sophomore RB Kiefer Sibley (Waco, Texas) finished the day with seven carries for a career-high 71 yards and a career-high two touchdowns.
- His 1-yard touchdown run with 5:53 left in the third quarter was his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and career and his fifth overall touchdown of his career.
- His 45-yard touchdown run with 7:04 remaining was his fifth of the season and career and sixth overall touchdown of his career.
RS freshman RB Ashton Gray (Marion, Ark.) finished the day with four carries for 34 yards and a touchdown.
- Gray's 32-yard touchdown run with 1:06 remaining was the first of his career.
Sophomore WR Wyatt Young (Katy, Texas) finished the day with a career-high nine catches for a career-high 190 yards and a touchdown.
- Young's 190 yards is the most for a UNT receiver since Damon Ward Jr. had 230 against South Alabama to open the 2024 season.
- Young's 70-yard reception with 9:15 remaining was his seventh of the season and ninth of his career, and it was also a career-long reception for Young.
Senior WR Cameron Dorner (New Market, Md.) finished the day with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
- Dorner's 41-yard touchdown reception with 12:25 left in the first quarter was his fourth of the season and 18th of his career (17 receiving, 1 return TD) and it was his first reception of 40 or more yards this season.
Junior WR Landon Sides (Denton, Texas) finished the day with five catches for a career-high 114 yards.
- Sides' 60-yard reception late in the second quarter marked the longest reception of his career.
New defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity came to UNT from Sam Houston and brought six of his players with him to Denton.
- Senior CB David Fisher (Houston, Texas), senior LB Trey Fields (Danciger, Texas), senior CB Da'Veawn Armstead (Baton Rouge, La.), senior DL Richard Outland Jr. (Houston) and senior DL Briceon Hayes (Huntsville, Texas), all former Bearkats, started the game on defense.
- Fisher made his seventh start for UNT and 35th consecutive start when he's been available to play, dating back to his time at Sam Houston.
Charlotte's 64-yard touchdown pass with 11:27 left in the second quarter capped a one-play scoring drive that took eight seconds – the least time of an opponent scoring drive this season.
Junior LB Ethan Wesloski (McKinney, Texas) finished the day with a game-high 10 tackles, including a solo stop, and a half-tackle for loss.
Sophomore DB Quinton Hammonds (Allen, Texas) finished the day with a season-high eight tackles, including three solo stops.
Senior LB Trey Fields (Dancinger, Texas) finished the day with seven tackles, including a solo stop.
Senior DB Da'Veawn Armstead (Baton Rouge, La.) finished the day with five tackles, including three solo stops, and a half-tackle for loss.
Junior DL Ethan Day (Ripon, Calif.) finished the day with five tackles, including a solo stop, a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Day's fourth-quarter sack was his fourth of the season and gave him 4.5 on his career.
Senior DL Jalyn Durgan (Ocean Springs, Miss.) finished the day with three tackles, including a solo stop, a tackle for loss and a sack.
- Durgan's second-quarter sack was his first for UNT and gave him 1.5 sacks for his career.
Senior DB David Fisher (Houston) finished the day with two tackles – both solo stops – and a pass breakup.
- Fisher's pass breakup was his fifth of the season and 16th of his career.
Junior DB Patrick Smith-Young (Sugar Land, Texas) finished the day with two tackles, including a solo stop, and two pass breakups.
Senior P Sawyer Evans (Arlington, Texas) had two punts on the night – both downed inside Charlotte's 20-yard line – and averaged 40.5 yards per punt.
- Evans' third-quarter 43-yard punt was his seventh of the season downed inside the opposing 20-yard line.
Sophomore K Kali Nguma (Mission, Texas) finished 6-for-6 on extra points and was 2-for-2 on field goals.
- His 29-yard field goal with 8:30 left in the second quarter was his eighth of the season and 19th of his career.
- His 41-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the third quarter was his ninth of the season and 20th of his career, and it was a season long.
- Nguma is 99-for-99 in his career on extra points, tied with Trevor Moore (2014-17) for career extra point percentage (1.000), as Moore was 154-for-154 on PATs in his career.
- His 99 consecutive extra point attempts converted is the third-longest streak in program history - next is 134 by Ethan Mooney (2019-22).
- His 99 career extra points made has him in fourth place on the program's all-time list – next is Nick Bazaldua (2002-05), who had 116.

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Team Stats

Drew Mestemaker

Players Mentioned

Da'Veawn Armstead

Ethan Day

Cameron Dorner

Jalyn Durgan

Sawyer Evans

Trey Fields

David Fisher

Ashton Gray

Quinton Hammonds

Caleb Hawkins

Briceon Hayes

Drew Mestemaker

Kali Nguma

Ugonna Nnanna

Richard Outland Jr.

Kiefer Sibley

Landon Sides

Patrick Smith-Young

Damon Ward Jr.

Ethan Wesloski

Wyatt Young

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