The American Conference championship race is crowded.
There’s South Florida. There’s Tulane. Also Memphis and Navy. And you can’t forget East Carolina. But as of the night of Nov. 15, only one program controls its destiny to host the conference championship. And that’s the North Texas Mean Green.
North Texas was perhaps Saturday’s most triumphant winner in terms of College Football Playoff prospects, as the Mean Green decimated UAB 53-24, hours after Navy ejected South Florida from the conference’s
driver’s seat — making the path to the American title run through Denton, for now.
The matchup featured North Texas’ 2nd-ranked scoring offense vs. UAB’s 131st-ranked scoring defense, and it played out accordingly. North Texas eclipsed 50 points for the fifth team this season thanks to its star freshman duo of Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins.
Mestemaker continued his magic in his first full season as a collegiate starter, delivering 298 yards and two touchdowns on 18 completions, recording his eighth start of the year without an interception. The majority of Mestemaker’s passes traveled in the direction of wide receivers Wyatt Young and Cameron Dorner, who attained 143 and 73 yards, respectively, each attaining a second half touchdown. Mestemaker completed at least 70 percent of his passes for his third-straight start, thriving as one of the most efficient quarterbacks, boasting a season-long completion rate of 69.3.
Hawkins also starred for the Mean Green with 189 rushing yards and five touchdowns, scoring four times in the first 19 minutes of action to establish a 28-0 second quarter advantage. The true freshman, who won Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week last outing vs. Navy, attained his fourth 130+ yard showing and his third 4+ touchdown outburst in one of college football’s most impressive debut seasons.
In addition to the offensive clinic, North Texas’ defense, which entered Saturday tied for fourth in the FBS in takeaways, demonstrated its aggressive nature by winning the turnover battle 4-0. UAB’s first three drives resulted in an interception, a fumble, and a turnover on downs, providing North Texas the necessary conditions suited for a blowout. UAB starting quarterback Jalen Kitna tossed two interceptions, while backup Ryder Burton added one, and Will Jones II and David Fisher operated as the recipients of the misfires for the Mean Green.
UAB managed 17 second half points at home thanks to a 159-yard showcase from senior tailback Jevon Jackson, and the Blazers nearly kept pace with North Texas — only out-gained 506-478 in the defeat. Turnovers proved to be the ultimate decider Saturday in Birmingham, and they were a significant factor. UAB has now been a -3 or worse in the turnover battle in three different games this season, witnessing similar disasters in defeats to Navy and UConn.
UAB (3-7, 1-5 American) is now barred from bowl eligibility for the third-consecutive season, still devoid of a postseason appearance since its Conference USA stretch. The Blazers remain winless since interim head coach Alex Mortensen stunned a ranked Memphis squad in his debut. While a bowl is out of the picture, the Blazers look to snap their losing streak with upcoming matchups against South Florida and Tulsa.
North Texas (9-1, 5-1 American) collected its first 9-win season since 2018 — tying the program record for wins since joining the FBS. The Mean Green are now firmly in control of their own destiny for the American Championship Game, and perhaps the College Football Playoff depending on where the committee ranks the Mean Green in relation to Sun Belt frontrunner James Madison. But in order to participate in those conversations, North Texas must simply win. A trip to Rice looms next Saturday, and then Eric Morris’ team finishes this storybook season hosting Temple on Thanksgiving weekend.
