Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 13 at 3:30 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPNU
- Location: DATCU Stadium — Denton, TX
- Spread: North Texas (-6.5)
- Over/under: 57.5
- All-time series: No previous matchups
Setting the scene
It’s a duel in the desert of Denton, TX. At least that’s the biome of the city located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex according to Washington State’s social media post, which North Texas fans have humorously embraced throughout the week.
The post also shows the unfamiliarity these programs have for another. Even though this is the first-ever
meeting between North Texas and Washington State, there is one significant connection tying the schools located over 1,800 miles apart. North Texas head coach Eric Morris served as Washington State’s receivers coach in 2012 and its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022. It was his most recent tenure at Washington State which landed him the job at North Texas.
“I have a personal respect for this place being in Pullman two different times,” Morris said in his weekly press conference. “I know what it’s like to be a Coug. I know it’s blue-collar, bring your lunch pail to work every single day in Pullman. So I know they’ll come out and be ready to play.”
Both programs are 2-0 headed into Saturday afternoon’s non-conference showdown, but only one remains perfect come Saturday night.
Washington State Cougars outlook
Washington State (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12) nearly saw a nightmare scenario unfold in Week 1. Ahead 10-7 on FCS Idaho, the Cougars fumbled deep in their own territory just before the 2-minute timeout. Fortunately for Washington State, the defense held firm and forced a chip shot field goal, allowing Jack Stevens to break a tie and sink a game-winner in the final seconds.
The scare of losing to an FCS team quickly wore off in Week 2 as Washington State dropped 29 unanswered points on San Diego State to win in commanding 36-13 fashion. Essentially every facet of football looked sharper for the Cougars in their second game as the passing game looked more in sync, the run game wasn’t stonewalled on every attempt, and the defensive pressure ramped up significantly.
First-year head coach Jimmy Rogers knows how to win ball games. He is now 29-3 as a head coach dating back to his South Dakota State days in the FCS, and he didn’t have the cleanest palette to work with upon arriving in Pullman. Washington State retained just three starters — two linemen and wide receiver Josh Meredith, but he’s made things work with a newly-assembled group. Quarterback Jaxon Potter is the replacement to John Mateer, and Potter showed growth in Week 2 with 257 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Washington State lacks the quarterback mobility it enjoyed last year, but the Cougars are finding ways to make it work for the running backs. After gaining a collective three yards on 22 carries (with only one sack factoring in) vs. Idaho, Washington State produced 139 yards led by Kirby Vorhees’ 67. Still, the aerial attack is the focal point of the offense, and returning starter Josh Meredith is the skill position player the Cougars can rely on most. Meredith hauled in eight catches for 88 yards last week, while Tony Freeman is stepping up alongside him with a team-high 13 catches on the year.
The Cougars’ defense has been quite spectacular through two games. They’ve only allowed two touchdowns and rank 17th in fewest yards surrendered. Teams are lacking efficiency and verticality when throwing on the Cougars, which rank fifth nationally with 83 passing yards allowed per game. The unit exits the field with ease, forcing seven punts in the opener and holding San Diego State to 2-of-13 on third down and 1-of-4 on fourth down a week ago.
Eight of 11 starters are transfers, and interestingly enough, six of them are South Dakota State transplants that followed Coach Rogers. The South Dakota State influence is within all levels of the defense, ranging from Max Baloun on the defensive line to Anthony Palano and Caleb Franci at linebacker to Tucker Large, Colby Humphrey, and Matthew Durrance in the secondary. South Dakota State held 5 of 15 opponents to single-digits last year and 11 of 15 opponents below 20, so it’s an accomplished group to draw from. Large is already making an impact at the FBS level with three pass deflections, while Franci and Durrance tie for first on the team with 14 tackles.
North Texas Mean Green outlook
North Texas (2-0, 0-0 American) is 2-0 for the second consecutive year under Eric Morris. Week 3 brought an unwelcome 45-point defeat to Texas Tech in 2024, and the Mean Green hope for a much brighter third outing in 2025 — this time, operating as the home favorite.
Week 2 was a test of resiliency and crunch-time execution for Morris’ team, and they passed with flying colors. Western Michigan held a 14-point second half lead and a 10-point fourth quarter advantage in Kalamazoo, but North Texas stepped up on both sides to rally and ultimately deliver a walk-off win in overtime.
Quarterback Drew Mestemaker remains the focal point of the offense. North Texas’ air raid system produced three different 3,300+ yard, 29+ touchdown quarterbacks in the last three seasons and Mestemaker hopes to extend that lineage. The Western Michigan game was his third career start and his first finishing under 320 yards. Still, the 6’4” redshirt freshman delivered 224 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, guiding the offense to four second half scoring possessions after notching just one in the first half.
Mestemaker hasn’t established a connection with a clear No. 1, but he has a revolving door of capable wide receivers. Wyatt Young is the current clubhouse leader with 156 yards and two touchdowns, but Cameron Dorner, Miles Coleman, Landon Sides, and Simeon Evans all are capable threats in this aerial-centric attack. There is big-play potential, and through two games, four of those five receivers logged a reception spanning at least 25 yards.
Mestemaker and his receivers leaned more on run support last week than they did in Week 1. Preseason Doak Walker Award watchlist candidate Makenzie McGill II stepped up significantly with 102 yards on 16 carries, punching in the walk-off touchdown in overtime. Kiefer Sibley operates as the second banana in this backfield with 5.8 yards per carry and two touchdowns, and even Mestemaker gets involved as a runner for this dynamic offense.
Nobody has questioned North Texas’ offensive capabilities throughout the 2020s, but poor defensive play has prevented the Mean Green from seeing a winning season since 2018. But with new defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity and a slew of Sam Houston transfers, things are looking up for North Texas in 2025. Albeit an FCS opponent, shutting out Lamar 51-0 in Week 1 was a sign of progress. The Mean Green struggled a bit more in Week 2 but secured several critical stops when needed to ensure the double-digit comeback.
The top contributors on defense reside within the linebacking corps. Sam Houston transfer Trey Fields has 15 tackles and an interception to his name since traveling north to Denton. Returning outside linebacker Ethan Wesloski dominated in Week 1 with seven stops, two tackles for loss, a share of a sack, a forced fumble, and a scoop-and-score touchdown.
Both aforementioned turnovers were produced in Week 1, and North Texas will need a greater presence in that area going forward after going 0-0 with Western Michigan in Week 2. That’s where defensive end Ethan Day steps in. As the top pass rusher with 2.0 sacks, the Wyoming transfer must continue to generate enough pressure to rip the ball out or force an errant throw.
Prediction
Washington State’s defense has been stellar thus far, but North Texas will provide the Cougars a different type of test from their previous opponents. The Eric Morris era Mean Green force opponents to play shootouts quite often and eight of 12 games featured 72+ points in 2024.
North Texas hopes to exude a stronger defense this season, but the unit still allowed 27 to a Western Michigan team that didn’t manage a single offensive point in Week 1 — signifying there is growth to be had. Washington State’s offense proved to be quite capable in its 36-point outing vs. San Diego State a week ago, so the Cougars can keep pace with Mestemaker and the Mean Green passing attack. But North Texas wins this duel in the “desert,” having a bit extra offensive firepower thanks to a more effective run game than the Cougars.
Prediction: North Texas 42, Washington State 34
