DENTON, Texas – Behind a dominant ground game and opportunistic defense, North Texas defeated Navy 31-17 to claim its first-ever win over the Midshipmen.
Freshman running back Caleb Hawkins carried the Mean Green offense, rushing 33 times for 197 yards and four touchdowns, marking his second game this season with four scores. Hawkins joined elite company — only three freshmen nationwide have had multiple four-touchdown games in a season since 2014.
UNT’s offense continued its record-breaking pace, becoming the first team in program history to score 30+ points in nine straight games. The Mean Green also stayed perfect in the red zone, going 5-for-5 to extend their FBS-leading 40 red-zone touchdowns this season.
Defensively, UNT forced two key interceptions from sophomore Quinton Hammonds, including the game-sealer in the fourth quarter. Junior linebacker Ethan Wesloski led with a career-high 14 tackles, while senior Trey Fields added 12.
The Mean Green (now 5-1 at home under Eric Morris) improved to 16-0 when leading after three quarters and snapped Navy’s 10-game winning streak — the second-longest active streak in FBS entering the game.
Next up, UNT looks to extend its momentum in conference play as bowl season nears.
