University of North Texas Athletics
Thursday, October 29
Denton, TX
6:30 PM CT
University of North Texas
6-2 , 4-0
48
vs
41
Florida Atlantic
5-3 , 2-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic | 10 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
| North Texas | 3 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 48 |
10/29/2026 11:34:00 PM | Football
DENTON — The Mean Green offense once again showed why they are one of the most lethal units in the nation, and UNT moved to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since it was a Sun Belt program in 2004, with a 48-41 shootout over Florida Atlantic on Thursday night.
Quarterback Tayven Jackson went 33-for-46 for 404 yards and four touchdowns in what was the second 400-yard passing day of Jackson's career and his fifth with more than 300 yards.
Jackson's big performance was one of many, as the Mean Green triplets of running back Jahiem White and wide receiver Justin Stevenson also had huge nights.
White rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and Stevenson had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, which marked the third straight game they have each eclipsed 100 yards rushing and receiving, respectively, and Jackson had at least 300 passing yards.
But some more unheralded players had big nights too, notably junior wideout Kyle Koch, who had career highs in catches (nine), yards (78) and touchdowns (two) for his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
"Kyle was good for us," head coach Neal Brown said. "Justin and Jahiem, who we've been really leaning on, didn't play as well. They didn't play poorly just not as well. When you get in these conference races it's about surviving and advancing, and we survived and advanced. Big-time win."
While Thursday's game wasn't perfect, Brown said he was happy with how his team responded after a short week of preparation and that the Mean Green are atop the American Conference standings after four games.
"I don't think we played our best in every phase of the game, but we found a way to win and at the end of the day that's the most important thing," he said. "It's a tough turnaround. They had to do the same thing as us. I'm really proud of the guys for finding a way to come out with a W."
The Mean Green (6-2, 4-0 American) will stay home after a few extra days off when they return to DATCU Stadium for a Homecoming bout with Rice on Nov. 7, at 3 p.m.
QUICK HITS
Quarterback Tayven Jackson went 33-for-46 for 404 yards and four touchdowns in what was the second 400-yard passing day of Jackson's career and his fifth with more than 300 yards.
Jackson's big performance was one of many, as the Mean Green triplets of running back Jahiem White and wide receiver Justin Stevenson also had huge nights.
White rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and Stevenson had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, which marked the third straight game they have each eclipsed 100 yards rushing and receiving, respectively, and Jackson had at least 300 passing yards.
But some more unheralded players had big nights too, notably junior wideout Kyle Koch, who had career highs in catches (nine), yards (78) and touchdowns (two) for his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
"Kyle was good for us," head coach Neal Brown said. "Justin and Jahiem, who we've been really leaning on, didn't play as well. They didn't play poorly just not as well. When you get in these conference races it's about surviving and advancing, and we survived and advanced. Big-time win."
While Thursday's game wasn't perfect, Brown said he was happy with how his team responded after a short week of preparation and that the Mean Green are atop the American Conference standings after four games.
"I don't think we played our best in every phase of the game, but we found a way to win and at the end of the day that's the most important thing," he said. "It's a tough turnaround. They had to do the same thing as us. I'm really proud of the guys for finding a way to come out with a W."
The Mean Green (6-2, 4-0 American) will stay home after a few extra days off when they return to DATCU Stadium for a Homecoming bout with Rice on Nov. 7, at 3 p.m.
QUICK HITS
- The Mean Green win gives them an 8-8 split in all-time the series and now have won four straight in the series and eight of the last 10.
- UNT's captains for the game were Zakye Barker and Tayven Jackson.
- The Mean Green entered the season with 70 newcomers, which puts UNT at 215 new players over the past three seasons – good for the most in FBS in that time.
- UNT is one of two FBS teams in the country to return zero starters from 2025 – the other is Iowa State.
- The Mean Green have an average age of 21.01, which is the second-oldest roster in FBS behind American Conference foe UTSA.
- The Mean Green eclipsed 40 points for the fifth straight game and the sixth time in their last seven games – the most games this season with 40+ points in FBS.
- UNT's 625 yards of total offense marks the third game this season with 600+ yards.
- The game marked the third time this season UNT's offense has eclipsed 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards (Houston Christian and Tulsa).
- UNT is the first team in FBS with five games of more than 550 yards of total offense.
- The UNT win marks the seventh straight home win, which is the longest streak since nine games from Nov. 19, 2016-Sept. 8, 2018.
- UNT is now off to a 4-0 start in conference play for the first time since 2004, when it went 7-0 in the Sun Belt.
- The win marks a 10th straight conference win, which is the longest streak since winning 18 straight from Oct. 13, 2001-Nov. 25, 2003.
- UNT now has eight total 50-plus yard touchdowns this season after Jahiem White's 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
- The Mean Green are now 6-0 this season when scoring first, and Neal Brown is 55-16 in his career when doing so.
- The win marks Brown's sixth win of the season, which means one more would match the program record for most wins by a first-year coach.
- The win gives Brown his first five-game win streak since he was at Troy in 2018.
- UNT trailed 7-3 in the first quarter, which marked the first time the Mean Green have trailed in a home game since Oct. 18, 2025, against UTSA when they trailed 7-0 before winning 55-17.
- UNT's 363 first-half total offense marked the fourth game this season the Mean Green eclipsed 300 yards in the first half.
- For the third straight game, quarterback Tayven Jackson had 300 or more passing yards, running back Jahiem White eclipsed 100 rushing yards and wide receiver Justin Stevenson had at least 100 receiving yards.
- Fifth-year QB Tayven Jackson (Greenwood, Ind.) finished 33 for 46 for 404 yards passing and four touchdowns.
- Jackson's 404 yards gave him his second 400-yard passing game and fifth 300-yard passing game of the season and his career, and his fifth 300-yard game in his past six games.
- Jackson's 8-yard touchdown pass to Barron Tipton with 11:33 left in the second quarter was the 19th of the season and 35th of his career.
- Jackson's 3-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Koch with 3:05 left in the second quarter was his 20th of the season and 36th of his career.
- Jackson's 2-yard touchdown pass to Koch with 4:02 left in the game was his 21st of the season and 37th of his career.
- Senior RB Jahiem White (York, Pa.) finished the day with 25 carries for 174 yards and two touchdowns and added two catches for 27 yards.
- White's 174 rushing yards marked his 13th career 100-yard rushing day and his sixth for UNT.
- White's 25 carries marks the third 20-carry game of the season for White and fourth in his career. White's teams have never lost a game in which he had 20 or more carries.
- White is the only player in The American with seven games this season of at least 100 total yards from scrimmage.
- White leads the FBS this season with six 100-yard rushing games.
- White's 174 yards gave him a 100-yard rushing day for the fifth straight game and sixth in his last seven.
- White's two touchdowns gave him his second consecutive multi-touchdown game, his third-multiple rushing touchdown game of the season and his fifth-multiple touchdown of the season.
- White's 174 yards gave him his fifth career game of at least 150 yards rushing and third this season.
- White has scored in all eight games this season. Entering Thursday's game, only one other FBS player had scored in at least eight straight games this season (West Virginia's Michael Hawkins). He is also one of five players in FBS to have a rushing touchdown in all of his team's games.
- White now has scored a rushing touchdown in 10 straight games dating back to Aug. 30, 2025, while at West Virginia. It's also his 12th game with a touchdown in his past 13 games.
- White's 59-yard touchdown run with 1:40 left in the second quarter was his 12th of the season and 26th of his career. It was his 14th overall touchdown of the season and 31st of his career.
- White's 1-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds left in the third quarter was 13th of the season and 27th of his career. It was his 15th overall touchdown of the season and 32nd of his career.
- Senior WR Justin Stevenson (Philadelphia, Pa.), finished with nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
- Stevenson's 100-yard receiving day was the fourth of his season and career, and his third in as many games.
- Stevenson has scored in five straight games, and all eight of his touchdowns have come in the last five games.
- Stevenson's 4-yard touchdown reception with 6:27 in the third quarter was his eighth of the season and 11th of his career.
- Junior WR Kyle Koch (Dripping Springs, Texas) finished with a career-high nine catches for a career-high 78 yards and two touchdowns.
- Koch's two touchdowns gave him his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
- Koch's 3-yard touchdown reception with 3:05 left in the second quarter was his fifth of the season and his career. He now has touchdowns in five of the past six games.
- Koch's 2-yard touchdown reception with 4:02 left in the game was his sixth of the season and his career.
- Junior WR Baron Tipton (Coppell, Texas) finished with a catch for 8 yards and a touchdown.
- Tipton's 8-yard touchdown reception with 11:33 left in the second quarter was his third of the season and his career.
- Fifth-year WR Dalton Carnes (College Station, Texas) finished the day with three catches for 66 yards.
- Fifth-year TE Max Reese (Chicago) finished the day with seven catches to tie his career high and totaled 85 receiving yards.
- His seven catches sets a new benchmark in his UNT career.
- UNT allowed 523 total yards, which was the third time this season and second time in as many games the Mean Green have allowed 500 total yards.
- Senior DB Peyton Taylor (Aurora, Colo.) finished the day with seven tackles – all solo stops – and an interception.
- Taylor's fourth-quarter interception was his first of the season (and first in Division I) and second of his career.
- Junior DB James Cross Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) finished the day with seven tackles, including five solo stops, and a half-tackle for-loss.
- Fifth-year LB Zakye Barker (Norcross, Ga.) finished the day with five tackles, including four solo stops.
- Sophomore LB Brenden Reese (Longview, Texas) finished the day with five tackles, including four solo stops, and a tackle for-loss.
- Sophomore DL Brayden Knox (Oklahoma City) finished the day with four tackles, including three solo stops, a sack and a forced fumble.
- Knox's third-quarter strip-sack gives him 2.5 sacks on the year and two forced fumbles this season.
- Senior DB CJ Coombes (Bellafonte, Del.) finished the day with three tackles, including two solo stops, a tackle for-loss and a fumble recovery.
- Sophomore K Dominic De Freitas (Nappanee, Ind.) finished 6-for-6 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals, including a season-long kick of 48 yards.
- De Freitas is now 11-for-14 on the season on field goals and 24 for his last 30.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
K
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
CB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ FootballTeam Stats
FAU
UNT
Total Yards
523
644
Pass Yards
452
404
Rushing Yards
71
240
Penalty Yards
58
60
1st Downs
29
31
3rd Downs
10
8
4th Downs
2
1
TOP
24:55
35:05
1st Quarter
FAU 0, UNT 3
UNT - De Freitas,Dominic 24 yd field goal 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 04:13
FAU 7, UNT 3
FAU - Hoch,Branden 18 yd pass from Veltkamp,Caden (Rogers,Collin kick) 12 plays, 64 yards, TOP 03:18
FAU 10, UNT 3
FAU - Rogers,Collin 30 yd field goal 11 plays, 61 yards, TOP 04:22
2nd Quarter
FAU 10, UNT 10
UNT - Tipton,Baron 8 yd pass from Jackson,Tayven (De Freitas,Dominic kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:42
FAU 17, UNT 10
FAU - Messer,Easton 27 yd pass from Veltkamp,Caden (Rogers,Collin kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 02:59
FAU 17, UNT 17
UNT - Koch,Kyle 3 yd pass from Jackson,Tayven (De Freitas,Dominic kick) 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:25
FAU 17, UNT 24
UNT - White,Jahiem 59 yd run (De Freitas,Dominic kick), 1 plays, 59 yards, TOP 00:11
FAU 24, UNT 24
FAU - Messer,Easton 12 yd pass from Veltkamp,Caden (Rogers,Collin kick) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:01
3rd Quarter
FAU 24, UNT 27
UNT - De Freitas,Dominic 48 yd field goal 11 plays, 45 yards, TOP 03:21
FAU 24, UNT 34
UNT - Stevenson,Justin 4 yd pass from Jackson,Tayven (De Freitas,Dominic kick) 3 plays, 32 yards, TOP 01:09
FAU 31, UNT 34
FAU - Shields-Dutton,Kaden 22 yd pass from Veltkamp,Caden (Rogers,Collin kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:26
FAU 31, UNT 41
UNT - White,Jahiem 1 yd run (De Freitas,Dominic kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:44
4th Quarter
FAU 38, UNT 41
FAU - Messer,Easton 34 yd pass from Veltkamp,Caden (Rogers,Collin kick) 5 plays, 64 yards, TOP 01:30
FAU 38, UNT 48
UNT - Koch,Kyle 2 yd pass from Jackson,Tayven (De Freitas,Dominic kick) 9 plays, 74 yards, TOP 04:24
FAU 41, UNT 48
FAU - Rogers,Collin 43 yd field goal 8 plays, 30 yards, TOP 01:58
Game Leaders
CMP
33
TD
4
YDS
404
INT
0
Friday, October 30
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Tuesday, October 20