McGill II’s Overtime Touchdown Caps UNT’s Comeback Win Over Western Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Sophomore running back Makenzie McGill II powered his way into the end zone to cap off UNT's thrilling 33-30 overtime victory over Western Michigan Saturday in Kalamazoo.

In a game that UNT never led during regulation, and trailed by as much as 14 points, the Mean Green were able to rally together to improve to 2-0 on the young season. It's the second time in three years under head coach Eric Morris that the Mean Green have started with two wins to open the season, and the first time since 1989 and 1990 that UNT has started 2-0 in consecutive years.

"I'm super proud of how resilient our guys were." Morris said. "They kept fighting and stayed in the game… There's a bunch to learn from, but we're going to get on a plane back to Denton going 1-0, which was our only goal this week."

Western Michigan controlled the first half, taking a 17-7 lead into the locker room, in large part due to dominating the field position battle. During regulation, UNT's average starting field position was its own 20-yard line, while the Broncos started from their own 43-yard line on average.

After WMU grew its lead to 24-10 on Brock Lowry's second touchdown run of the day with 6:33 to play in the third quarter, UNT responded and began to swing the momentum of the game. Drew Mestemaker hit Tre Williams III for an 18-yard touchdown as the senior tight end scored for the first time as a member of the Mean Green.

Mestemaker later connected with Cameron Dorner for his second touchdown pass of the day with just over 10 minutes in the fourth remaining to bring North Texas to within three for the first time since being tied at 7-7 in the second quarter. The 4-yard score capped off a run of five consecutive scoring drives the teams combined for to open the second half.

From there the UNT defense rose to the occasion, forcing a pair of three-and-outs for Western Michigan and holding them scoreless for the remainder of regulation.

With 3:23 left to play, the UNT offense took over from its own 25-yard line trailing 27-24. A 23-yard catch and run by Wyatt Young moved UNT into field goal position heading into the two-minute timeout. The Mean Green threatened to punch it in the end zone, reaching the Broncos 2-yard line, but were forced to settle for a field goal as Kali Nguma tied the game at 27 on a 25-yard attempt.

The North Texas defense continued to stand its ground in overtime as it did much of the second half. After giving up 217 total yards in the first half, including 139 yards on the ground, North Texas allowed just 86 total yards in the second half. When put on the field first in the extra period, UNT pushed Western Michigan backwards and forced Palmer Domschke to make his third field goal of the game to give WMU a 30-27 lead.

A pair of penalties on Western Michigan moved the UNT offense to the 3-yard line where McGill II would take it in from as North Texas flipped the script on its struggles in one-score games. McGill II finished with 102 yards on a career-high 16 carries, marking the second 100-yard rushing performance of his career, while Kiefer Sibley added 38 yards and a touchdown as UNT finished with 182 rushing yards on the day.

"I'm proud of those guys," Morris said. "We stayed consistent. I had to keep telling myself as a play caller that I have to keep the running the football the way they were playing… It definitely helped us win the football game. I think anytime we rush for over 150 or 160 yards, we typically win the game."

Shane Whitter and Trey Fields led the charge for North Texas defensively as the linebackers combined for 23 tackles, the second most combined tackles by two unt players in a single game in the Morris era. Whitter finished with a career-high 12 stops while Fields recorded his fourth career game with double-digit tackles.

The Mean Green will look to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2018 when they host Washington State next Saturday, which is set for kickoff on ESPNU at 2:30 p.m. CT.

QUICK HITS

UNT defeated Western Michigan, 33-30, in overtime, in the first ever meeting between the programs.
UNT improved to 4-2 all-time in overtime games and 3-0 in overtime games on the road.
- It was the first overtime game of Eric Morris' tenure and the first for North Texas since a 30-24 win at Rice on Oct. 30, 2021.
UNT's 2-0 start for the second-straight year is the first time UNT has started 2-0 in consecutive seasons since 1989 and 1990.
Saturday's win is the first time UNT has ever won a game that it never led during regulation.
UNT's captains for the game were Sawyer Evans, Drew Mestemaker, Zhaiylen Scott and Ethan Wesloski.
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).
UNT and Western Michigan combined for a slow start offensively with neither scoring in the first quarter. It was the first time UNT had a game that was 0-0 after one quarter since Sept. 28, 2024, against Tulsa, which UNT won 52-20.
UNT overcame a 14-point deficit against Western Michigan, tying the largest comeback win under Eric Morris. The Mean Green also came back from down 14 to defeat UAB, 45-42, on Nov. 25, 2023.
UNT is now 4-12 under Eric Morris when trailing at the half and 3-14 when trailing after three quarters.
UNT had nine players catch at least one pass in the game.
- The Mean Green have at least eight players catch a pass in 18 straight games dating back to UTSA on Nov. 4, 2023.
Entering Saturday, UNT had gone for it on fourth down at least once in every game of Eric Morris' tenure. The Mean Green did not attempt a fourth-down conversion against Western Michigan.
RS Freshman QB Drew Mestemaker (Austin, Texas) finished 18-of-33 for 224 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air and added 24 yards rushing on five carries.
- Mestemaker's 18-yard touchdown pass to Tre Williams III with 4:40 left in the third quarter was his fourth of the season and sixth of his career.
- Mestemaker's 4-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Dorner with 10:03 to play in the fourth quarter was his fifth of the season and seventh of his career.
Sophomore RB Makenzie McGill II (Mount Vernon, Texas) finished the day with 16 carries for 102 yard and a touchdown.
- His 3-yard touchdown run in overtime was the game-winner and marked his second of the season and 12th of his career.
- McGill II's 16 rush attempts set a new career high, surpassing his 14 carries against Temple on Nov. 30, 2024.
- He recorded his second career 100-yard rushing game after doing so against Temple in 2024.
Sophomore RB Kiefer Sibley (Waco, Texas) finished the day with seven carries for 38 yards and a touchdown.
- Sibley recorded a 20-yard reception in UNT's first drive of the second quarter, marking the longest reception of his career.
- His 10-yard touchdown run with 10:48 left in the second quarter was his second rushing touchdown of the season and his career.
Sophomore WR Wyatt Young (Katy, Texas), finished with four catches for 59 yards.
- His four receptions tied a career high, which he set last week in the win against Lamar.
Senior WR Cameron Dorner (New Market, Md.) finished with two catches for 19 yards and a touchdown.
- His 4-yard touchdown reception with 10:03 to play in the fourth quarter was his second of the season and the 15th of his collegiate career.
Senior TE Tre Williams III had two catches on the day for 21 yards and a touchdown.
- Williams III's 18-yard touchdown reception with 4:40 left in the third quarter was his first for North Texas and the 12^th receiving touchdown of his career.
Junior WR Landon Sides (Denton, Texas) made his return to the UNT lineup after missing last week's game against Lamar.
- Sides finished with two catches for 41 yards in his first action of the season.
New defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity came to UNT from Sam Houston and brought six of his players with him to Denton.
- Senior CBs Da'Veawn Armstead (Baton Rouge, La.) and David Fisher (Houston, Texas), senior LB Trey Fields (Danciger, Texas), and senior DLs Briceon Hayes (Huntsville, Texas) and Richard Outland Jr. (Houston, Texas) all started the game on defense.
- Fisher made his first start for UNT and 29^thconsecutive start when he's been available to play, dating back to his time at Sam Houston.
The 30 total points UNT's defense has allowed so far this season are the fewest points UNT has allowed through the first two games of a season since the 2002 team allowed 27 points through the first two games of that year.
- The 2002 Mean Green team went on to win the Sun Belt Conference title and beat Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl.
UNT forced a punt on Western Michigan's opening drive of the game – just the seventh time in the last 22 games the Mean Green have gotten a stop on the opponent's opening possession.
Shane Whitter and Trey Fields combined for 23 total tackles. It's the second-most combined tackles by two UNT players in a single game in the Morris era.
- The last time UNT had two players with 10+ tackles in a game was Nov. 30, 2024, at Temple as Chavez Brown (11) and Quinton Hammonds (10) accomplished the feat
Senior LB Shane Whitter (Burlington, N.C.) finished the day with a game-high 12 tackles, including seven solo stops.
- Whitter had nine of his 12 tackles in the first half, which surpassed his previous career high of eight tackles against Texas State in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Senior LB Trey Fields (Dancinger, Texas) finished the day with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops.
- Fields reached double-digit tackles in a game for the first time this season and fourth time in his career.
- His eight solo tackles are the most by a UNT player since Jaylen Smith had 10 against East Carolina on Nov. 23, 2024.
Junior LB Ethan Wesloski (McKinney, Texas) finished the day with eight tackles including six solo stops and two tackles-for-loss.
- His two TFL tied his career high and gave him 16.5 TFL for his career.
Junior S Patrick Smith-Young recorded eight tackles including four solo stops.
- His eight tackles are the most he has totaled in a single game since Aug. 31, 2024, against South Carolina while at Old Dominion.
Senior S Will Jones II (Mansfield, Texas) finished the day with six tackles, including four solo stops and a tackle-for-loss.
- Jones II collected his first TFL of the season and made it 8.5 TFL in his career.
Junior DL Ethan Day (Ripon, Calif.) finished the day with six tackles, including five solo stops and one sack.
- Day recorded a sack for the second consecutive game, bringing his season total to 2.0 sacks and his career total to 2.5 sacks.
- His six total tackles is a career high, marking the second game in-a-row Day has set his career high in tackles.
Sophomore K Kali Nguma (Mission, Texas) finished 3-for-3 on extra points and was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts.
- Nguma is 64-for-64 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 64 consecutive extra point attempts converted is the third-longest streak in program history.

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