Two teams will square off following blowouts, one on the winning end and the other on the losing side, in a matchup of Texas schools approximately 300 miles apart.
North Texas will look to become bowl eligible when the Mean Green plays host to UTSA in a battle of Top 25 Group of Five teams.
North Texas is No. 10 in the HERO Sports Group of Five Top 25 media poll, while UTSA is No. 24.
After beginning the season 5-0 for the first time since 1959, North Texas got a reality check when South Florida traveled to Denton, Texas, and defeated the Mean Green 63-36 last week.
On the other end, UTSA is coming off a 63-13 rout of Rice, yet another American Conference team from the Lone Star State. It was a record-setting day for UTSA.
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First off, it was the most points scored in a game by UTSA. The Roadrunners set a single-game school record by earning three defensive scores. Kendrick Blackshire had an interception return for a touchdown, Shad Banks Jr. returned a fumble for a score, and Jon Jones contributed a safety. Yet another single-game record was 17 tackles for loss.
UTSA took out its frustration on Rice after suffering a 27-21 upset loss at Temple the previous week. Even though Temple had been 3-9 in each of the previous four seasons, the Owls are vastly improved. Just ask Navy, which squeezed out a 32-31 win last week over Temple in Philadelphia.
UTSA still has its work cut out in attempting to become bowl eligible.
The remaining five games are home against Tulane (5-1), at both South Florida (5-1) and Charlotte (1-5), and then at home against East Carolina (3-3) and Army (3-3).
How to Watch UTSA-North Texas
The UTSA-North Texas game will be on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 p.m. ET and televised by ESPN+.
UTSA-North Texas Betting Odds
As of this writing, North Texas is a 4.5-point college football betting favorite via BetMGM. The Over/Under is 67.5.
UTSA-North Texas Records
UTSA (3-3, 1-1 American Conference)
North Texas (5-1, 1-1)
UTSA-North Texas Coaches
UTSA: Jeff Traylor (49-23)
North Texas: Eric Morris (16-15 at North Texas, 40-33 overall)
UTSA-North Texas Last Meeting
Nov. 15, 2024, UTSA won 48-27 in San Antonio to increase its series lead to 8-5. UTSA has won the last four meetings.
UTSA-North Texas Preview
For UTSA
UTSA’s most impressive win was a 17-16 triumph at Colorado State. The Roadrunners are fifth in the American in scoring offense, averaging 34.5 points per game. They allow 26.8 PPG, which is ninth in the American.
The offense is led by one of the top running backs in the country, Robert Henry Jr., who is third in the FBS in rushing yards per game (121.7). He has rushed for 730 yards and is averaging a hefty 7.9 yards per carry. Henry has scored eight rushing TDs.
Quarterback Owen McCown has completed 64.5% of his passes for 1,226 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has been a little up and down but is coming off a big game, completing 15 of 21 passes for 236 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in the win over Rice.
Devin McCuin has 31 receptions for 341 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Roadrunners in all three categories.
Linebacker Nnanna Anyanwu leads the Roadrunners with four sacks, while Banks Jr. has a team-high 43 tackles.
For North Texas
The Mean Green lead the American and are sixth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 43.3 points per game. Despite losing convincingly to USF, North Texas was able to put up 36 points against a USF defense that entered the game allowing 22 PPG. Drew Mestemaker, who had not thrown an interception in his first five games, was picked off three times against USF. For the season, he has completed 67.3% of his passes for 1,583 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Six UNT players have 10 or more receptions, led by Miles Coleman, who has 30 receptions for 320 yards and one touchdown. Against USF, he had seven receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.
UNT true freshman Caleb Hawkins has rushed for 366 yards and seven touchdowns in five games. Makenzie McGill II has rushed for 349 yards and five touchdowns.
The defense allows 26.8 points per contest, which is ninth in the American. Linebacker Shane Whitter has a team-high 55 tackles.
UTSA-North Texas Prediction
I like UTSA getting the points in a game between teams that seem evenly matched.
There is no telling the impact the lopsided loss had on North Texas. The key to this will be the quarterback matchup. Mestemaker has to bounce back from his worst game of the season, while McCown is coming off one of his best games. Does momentum carry week to week?
North Texas is allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the American and is 16th nationally (158.8 YPG). That doesn’t mean teams can’t throw against the Mean Green. USF passed for 274 yards and four touchdowns last week. North Texas also allowed 580 yards of total offense. Granted, the Mean Green were playing against a great dual-threat quarterback in Byrum Brown.
But USF exposed some weaknesses in the Mean Green defense that McCown and UTSA may be able to exploit.
