UNT Scores First Shutout in 22 Years in 51-0 Rout

DENTON – New UNT defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity brought the majority of his staff with him to Denton from Sam Houston in the offseason, along with five defensive players who all played 11 games or more with the Bearkats last season.

All of those additions paid dividends on Saturday night at DATCU Stadium, as UNT notched its first shutout victory in 22 seasons with a 51-0 win over Lamar, with the help of an incredibly efficient night from starting quarterback Drew Mestemaker.

The Mean Green (1-0) outgained Lamar 462-119 in a dominant effort on both sides of the ball, as UNT held Lamar to just eight first downs and saw Mestemaker complete 24 of his 32 pass attempts for 329 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another score.

It wasn't just a shutout for the defense, either, as the unit joined in on the scoring effort with a strip-sack and recovery in the end zone by sophomore linebacker Ethan Wesloski with just 27 seconds to play in the first half to give the Mean Green a 37-0 halftime advantage.

Wesloski led the team with seven tackles, a half-sack and two tackles for-loss to go with his touchdown. That marked the first defensive score for UNT since a Ridge Texada interception return for a touchdown on Oct. 1, 2022, and the first fumble recovery for a touchdown since KD Davis' against Southern Mississippi on Nov. 6, 2021.

Senior wide receiver Cameron Dorner was a hit in his Mean Green debut with a team-high seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown, and sophomore wideout Wyatt Young caught four balls for 97 yards and scored twice. Mestemaker's high school teammate, Miles Coleman, added five catches for 52 yards.

The Mean Green will hit the road next week to take on Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on ESPN+, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m.

QUICK HITS

The Mean Green win extends their series advantage to 6-2 all-time over their former Southland Conference foes. The previous matchup was a 59-14 win over Lamar on Sept. 2, 2017.
UNT's captains for the game were Gabe Blair, Sawyer Evans and Fatafehi Vailea II.
- Blair made his 37th consecutive in his career when he's been available to play.
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).
The last time UNT shut out an opponent was on Oct. 30, 2003, a 21-0 win over Troy, and the first in a season-opener since beating Abilene Christian, 48-0, on Sept. 1, 1994. It's the largest margin of victory in a shutout since beating Drake, 63-0, on Nov. 20, 1976.
RS freshman WR Baron Tipton (Coppell, Texas), sophomore RB Makenzie McGill II (Mount Vernon, Texas) and sophomore DL Ethan Day (Ripon, Calif.) made the first career starts.
Senior OL Jimto Obidegwu (Brandywine, Md.), senior WR Simeon Evans (Mansfield, Texas) and senior OL Tay Yanta II (Falls City, Texas), senior DB Da'Veawn Armstead (Baton Rouge, La.), senior LB Trey Fields (Danciger, Texas), senior DL Briceon Hayes (Huntsville, Texas), senior DB Will Jones II (Mansfield, Texas) and senior DL Richard Outland Jr. (Houston) all made their first Mean Green starts.
RS freshman K Miguel Arenas (Flower Mound, Texas), RS freshman OL Amarion Berry (Rowlett, Texas), freshman DL AJ Brown (Dallas), RS freshman OL Willie Goodacre (Denton, Texas), freshman RB Caleb Hawkins (Shawnee, Okla.) and freshman WR Terrence Lewis (Brenham, Texas) made their first career appearances.
UNT is now 9-2 under Eric Morris when leading at the half and 10-0 when leading after three quarters.
UNT had nine players catch at least pass in the game.
- The Mean Green have at least eight players catch a pass in 17 straight games dating back to UTSA on Nov. 4, 2023.
UNT's 37 first-half points are the most the Mean Green have scored in an opening half since they scored 45 against FIU in the opening half of a 52-14 win on Nov. 5, 2022.
UNT forced a punt on Tulane's opening drive of the game – just the sixth time in the last 21 games the Mean Green have gotten a stop on the opponent's opening possession.
RS Freshman QB Drew Mestemaker (Austin, Texas) finished 24 for 32 for 329 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air and added 30 yards rushing on five carries with a touchdown on the ground.
- Mestemaker made the second start of his collegiate career and eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark for the second time – the first coming when he passed for 393 yards in last year's SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The program record for consecutive 300-yard passing games is five, set by Chandler Morris last season.
- Mestemaker's 5-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Young with 6:35 left in the second quarter was his first of the season and third of his career.
- Mestemaker's 25-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Dorner with 1:53 to play in the second quarter was his second of the season and fourth of his career.
- Mestemaker's 32-yard touchdown pass to Young with 8:41 left in the third quarter was his third of the season and fifth of his career.
- Mestemaker's 2-yard touchdown run with 11:21 to play in the first quarter was his first of the season and second of his career.
Sophomore RB Kiefer Sibley (Waco, Texas) finished the day with six carries for 38 yards and a touchdown.
- Sibley's 1-yard touchdown run with 11:16 left in the third quarter was the first of his career.
- Sibley's 30-yard run early in the third quarter was a career-long.
Redshirt freshman RB Makenzie McGill II (Mount Vernon, Texas) finished the day with six carries for 1 yard and a touchdown.
- His 1-yard touchdown run with 5:46 to play in the first quarter was his first of the season and 11th of his career.
Senior WR Cameron Dorner (New Market, Md.) finished the day with seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.
- His 25-yard touchdown reception with 1:53 to play in the second quarter was his first with the Mean Green and the 14th of his collegiate career.
Sophomore WR Wyatt Young (Katy, Texas), finished with four catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
- Young's 5-yard touchdown reception with 6:35 left in the second quarter was his first of the season and third receiving touchdown of his career, to go with one rushing score.
- Young's 32-yard touchdown reception with 8:41 left in the third quarter was his second of the season and fourth receiving touchdown of his career, to go with one rushing score.
- His four receptions was a new career high, breaking his previous best of three in last year's win over SFA and his yardage total of 97 was also a new career high.
Sophomore WR Miles Coleman (Austin, Texas) finished the day with five catches for 52 yards.
New defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity came to UNT from Sam Houston and brought five of his players with him to Denton.
- Senior DB Da'Veawn Armstead (Baton Rouge, La.), senior LB Trey Fields (Danciger, Texas), senior DL Briceon Hayes (Huntsville, Texas) and senior DL Richard Outland Jr. (Houston) all started the game on defense.
UNT allowed just 31 rushing yards, which is tied for the seventh-fewest allowed by the Mean Green since 2000.
UNT recorded an interception for the seventh straight game, dating back to last season, matching the feat the Mean Green accomplished during 2016 season.
UNT has recorded an interception and a fumble recovery in four straight games, dating back to last season's loss to East Carolina on Nov. 23, 2024.
The last time UNT held an opponent scoreless in a half was against Temple last season, a 24-17 UNT win on Nov. 30, 2024. The last time UNT held an opponent scoreless in a first half was in a 49-7 win over FIU on Nov. 20, 2021.
Sophomore LB Ethan Wesloski (McKinney, Texas) finished the day with seven tackles including two solo stops, two tackles for-loss, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
- His two TFL tied his career high, and it gave him 14 TFL in his career.
- His fumble recovery in the end zone off his own forced fumble with 27 seconds left in the first half was the second forced fumble and first recovery of his career.
- His defensive touchdown was the first for UNT since a Ridge Texada interception return for a touchdown on Oct. 1, 2022, and the first fumble recovery for a touchdown since KD Davis' against Southern Mississippi on Nov. 6, 2021.
Senior LB Shane Whitter (Burlington, N.C.) finished the day with five tackles, including four solo stops and two QB hurries.
RS freshman DL Zhaiylen Scott (Cedar Hill, Texas) finished the day with five tackles, including four solo stops, his first career sack and two QB hurries.
Sophomore DL Ethan Day (Ripon, Calif.) finished the day with five tackles, including two solo stops and his first career sack.
- Day's five tackles was a new career high.
Senior LB Trey Fields (Dacinger, Texas) finished the day with four tackles, including two solo stop, a TFL and an interception.
- His interception was the first of his career, which has now spanned 50 games.
Redshirt freshman K Kali Nguma (Mission, Texas) finished 6-for-6 on extra points and was 1-for-1 on field goal attempts.
- Nguma was 61-for-61 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.

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Team Stats

Drew Mestemaker

Reese Poffenbarger

Players Mentioned

Miguel Arenas

Da'Veawn Armstead

Amarion Berry

Gabe Blair

AJ Brown

Miles Coleman

Ethan Day

Cameron Dorner

Sawyer Evans

Simeon Evans

Trey Fields

Willie Goodacre

Caleb Hawkins

Briceon Hayes

Will Jones II

Terrence Lewis

Makenzie McGill II

Drew Mestemaker

Chandler Morris

Kali Nguma

Jimto Obidegwu

Richard Outland Jr.

Zhaiylen Scott

Kiefer Sibley

Ridge Texada

Baron Tipton

Fatafehi Vailea II

Ethan Wesloski

Shane Whitter

Tay Yanta II

Wyatt Young

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