DENTON, Texas — The North Texas Mean Green continued their offensive surge Thursday night, outlasting Florida Atlantic 48-41 in a high-scoring matchup that extended their winning streak and kept them unbeaten in American Conference play.
Quarterback Tayven Jackson put together another big performance, throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns as UNT improved to 4-0 in conference play. The fifth-year quarterback completed 33 of 46 passes and continued a productive stretch that has seen him reach at least 300 passing yards in three consecutive games.
Running back Jaheim White also played a major role in the victory, finishing with 174 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns. White broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and added a 1-yard scoring run late in the third.
The Mean Green have now scored at least 40 points in five straight games, continuing to establish themselves as one of the most productive offenses in the country.
Florida Atlantic kept pace for much of the night. The Owls erased an early deficit and went into halftime tied 24-24, putting pressure on the Mean Green to keep answering offensively.
UNT responded after the break. Jackson found Justin Stevenson for a 4-yard touchdown in the third quarter, while White added another rushing score to help the Mean Green build separation.
Stevenson finished with nine receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown, recording his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game. Kyle Koch also had a career night, catching nine passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. His second score came with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, extending UNT’s advantage.
Florida Atlantic quarterback Caden Veltkamp made things difficult for the Mean Green defense. He threw for 452 yards and five touchdowns, connecting with Easton Messer for three scores. Messer finished with 16 receptions for 189 yards, setting a school record for catches in a game.
The defensive performance remains an area of concern for North Texas. Allowing 41 points and more than 450 passing yards made this a much closer contest than the Mean Green would have preferred. A fourth-quarter interception by Peyton Taylor provided a key defensive play, while Brayden Knox contributed a sack and forced fumble.
The victory extends North Texas’ home winning streak to seven games and gives head coach Neal Brown his sixth win of the season. The Mean Green have also won five consecutive games and 10 straight conference matchups, according to the team’s game notes.
North Texas has put together one of the nation’s most productive offenses, surpassing 40 points in five consecutive games. The Mean Green also reached 600 yards of total offense for the third time this season.
UNT will look to carry that momentum into its next matchup when it hosts Rice on Nov. 7.
