CHARLOTTE – North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker threw for 608 yards and four touchdowns as the Mean Green pulled away from Charlotte with 34 unanswered points in a 54-20 victory Friday night at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
The 608 passing yards represent the highest total ever allowed in American Athletic Conference play, as Mestemaker connected with nine different receivers while completing 37 of 49 attempts. Wide receiver Will Young led the aerial assault with nine catches for 190 yards and a 70-yard touchdown, while Cam Dorner added seven receptions for 117 yards and a score.
North Texas (7-1, 3-1 AAC) totaled 754 yards of offense on 78 plays, averaging 9.7 yards per snap. The Mean Green converted just 4 of 11 third downs but managed to sustain drives through explosive plays and efficient execution in the passing game.
Charlotte (1-7, 0-5 AAC) held leads at three different points in the game, the latest coming with 8:17 remaining in the third quarter. The 49ers built a 17-7 advantage in the second quarter and pushed ahead 20-17 on Liam Boyd's 20-yard field goal midway through the third period.
That would be Charlotte's final score.
North Texas answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive capped by Kelechi Sibley's 1-yard touchdown run at the 5:53 mark of the third quarter. The Mean Green never trailed again and proceeded to score on six of their final seven possessions, five resulting in touchdowns.
The fourth quarter belonged entirely to the visitors. North Texas scored four touchdowns in the period, beginning with a short 7-yard pass from Mestemaker to Chandler Hawkins just 2:26 into the quarter. Young's 70-yard touchdown reception extended the margin to 40-20 at 9:03, and the Mean Green added rushing scores from Sibley (45 yards) and Aaron Gray (32 yards) to complete the rout.
Charlotte receiver Javen Nicholas posted career-high numbers with seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns. His 33-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter gave the 49ers their first lead at 10-7, and he followed with a 64-yard scoring reception on the opening play of Charlotte's next possession, extending the advantage to 17-7 with 11:27 left in the second quarter.
Nicholas also contributed 20 rushing yards on a jet sweep, finishing with 207 all-purpose yards. His two touchdown catches accounted for all of Charlotte's scoring through the air.
The 49ers' defense created opportunities early. Charlotte forced a turnover on downs late in the first quarter, though North Texas had converted a fourth down earlier in that same series. Yamil Talib intercepted Mestemaker at the Charlotte 9-yard line with 43 seconds remaining in the first half, preventing a potential North Texas scoring drive before halftime.
Charlotte's best defensive play came early in the third quarter when Collin Gill stripped Mestemaker near the goal line after a lengthy North Texas drive. The fumble recovery set up Boyd's go-ahead field goal, giving the 49ers their final lead of the game at 20-17.
Mestemaker bounced back from that fumble to complete 24 of his final 31 passes for 436 yards and three touchdowns. The Mean Green quarterback spread the ball effectively, with Lucas Sides catching five passes for 114 yards and Trey Williams III adding five receptions for 60 yards.
Charlotte quarterback Grayson Loftis completed 20 of 36 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He was sacked twice and pressured throughout by a North Texas defense that recorded three sacks and four tackles for loss.
The 49ers rushed for 104 yards on 27 carries, led by Josh Cobb's 13 carries for 59 yards. Nicholas added his 20-yard rushing attempt, and Robert Gainey Jr. contributed 14 yards on four attempts.
North Texas rushed for 146 yards on 29 attempts. Sibley carried seven times for 71 yards and two touchdowns, including his game-breaking 45-yard run in the fourth quarter. Gray added 34 yards on four carries with his late touchdown, and Hawkins rushed 13 times for 48 yards while also catching four passes for 39 yards and two scores.
The Mean Green's offensive balance proved difficult for Charlotte to contain. North Texas averaged 5.0 yards per rush and 12.4 yards per completion. The 49ers held some statistical advantages in third-down conversions (4 of 16) compared to North Texas (4 of 11) and matched the visitors in fourth-down conversions at 1 of 2, but explosive plays tilted the game decisively.
North Texas recorded nine plays of 20 or more yards, including four passes of 40-plus yards. Charlotte managed just three plays of 20 or more yards, with Nicholas accounting for two of them.
The Mean Green controlled possession for 30:38 compared to Charlotte's 29:22, though the time of possession figures were more balanced than the final score suggested. North Texas scored on 8 of 14 drives, with seven touchdowns and one field goal. Charlotte scored on four drives, all in the first three quarters, with two touchdowns and two field goals.
Charlotte's red zone efficiency was perfect at 2 for 2, both resulting in touchdowns. North Texas was 4 for 5 in red zone opportunities, converting four times for touchdowns.
Defensively, Charlotte's Reginald Williford recorded seven tackles, including two sacks for 17 yards. Caleb Clinkscales led all tacklers with six solo stops, and Sedrick Taylor added six tackles with half a sack for eight yards and three quarterback hurries.
North Texas linebacker Emmanuel Wesloski led his team with 10 tackles, while Quincy Hammonds added eight stops and Tylan Fields contributed seven. The Mean Green defense held Charlotte to 4 of 16 on third downs, a critical factor in limiting the 49ers' offensive possessions in the second half.
Charlotte punted eight times for a 38.4-yard average, while North Texas punted just twice with a 40.5-yard average. The Mean Green's ability to sustain drives without punting proved crucial in building their second-half advantage.
Boyd connected on both field goal attempts for Charlotte, from 24 and 20 yards. North Texas kicker Keegan Nguma made field goals of 29 and 41 yards and converted seven of eight extra point attempts. The lone miss came on a two-point conversion attempt after Young's 70-yard touchdown.
Charlotte's special teams showed some success in the return game, with Derrick Eley averaging 25.7 yards on seven kickoff returns with a long of 41 yards. North Texas's Shane Evans returned two kickoffs for 65 yards.
The Mean Green improve to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play, positioning themselves among the AAC's top contenders. Charlotte falls to 1-7 and 0-5 in league play and enters their second bye week of the season.
The 49ers return to action Nov. 8 at East Carolina before hosting their home finale and Senior Day the following week. North Texas continues its push toward AAC championship contention with four conference games remaining on the schedule.
Key Performers
North Texas
- Drew Mestemaker: 37-49 passing, 608 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
- Will Young: 9 catches, 190 yards, 1 TD
- Cam Dorner: 7 catches, 117 yards, 1 TD
- Kelechi Sibley: 7 carries, 71 yards, 2 TDs
Charlotte
- Javen Nicholas: 7 catches, 187 yards, 2 TDs; 1 carry, 20 yards
- Grayson Loftis: 20-36 passing, 295 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT
- Josh Cobb: 13 carries, 59 yards
- Reginald Williford: 7 tackles, 2 sacks
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