Quick Reaction: 11-1, North Texas 52 Temple 22

The greatest regular season ends, the postseason watch begins

The consensus feeling in this game was the North Texas would succumb to the uncertainty from the news that Eric Morris is off to Oklahoma State. One random ranker of G5 teams said he put NT down at 8th because of it. I imagine the CFP committee will likely do something similar if asked to rank the Mean Green.

Thanksgiving weekend is always a little weird. Some coaches take their foot off the gas. Some players do. I’ve seen some weirdness on this weekend in years past. Some of Seth Littrell’s teams lost should-have-won games, and also won some games that were closer than they should have been.

This team is riding a 10-win season and was looking to close out the home slate against a squad looking to become bowl-eligible. Add the potential distractions of the coaching change and you could see how the possibility of this game being an upset was there.

Instead North Texas walked to a 52-22 win.

The crowd on senior day was not amazing. It was a cold and wet day against a mediocre opponent. Apparently the draw of the number-one scoring team in the nation was not enough. Even the hyped up Okie State fans who were talking up the possibility of driving down to Denton for a show were unpersuaded. So it goes. 25K is not terrible.

In short? This game was over pretty quickly. Temple’s shot at winning was in controlling the time of possession (did), getting stops (nope) and scoring enough to make it close (no). North Texas was aiming to score early and often (did) and get enough stops to keep Temple at bay (yep).

Some thoughts as I eat another plate of leftovers and get ready for some rec league tonight.

1. Caleb Hawkins Can’t Be Stopped

Okay so he fumbled the one time, but he had 186 on just 25 carries and four scores. It’s routine! The great thing about being human is that you can get used to anything. We can live in cold and hot, and jungle and desert. The problem of being human is that we can get used to anything. It is really easy to see the 50-burger and start to wonder why they couldn’t get 60. How about that fumble? Also, what about that missed block?

Caleb Hawkins has been great, and the rumors about leaving and the transfer portal detract from that. It is true that any program should be desirous of a talent so great. Including North Texas.

For now, we get to see him in the American Championship game, folks. He’s been the not-so-secret weapon for this offense to turn it from a 33-point-per-game team to a 45-point-per game team.

2. Drew Mestemaker Was Solid Again

He can sling the ball down the field with power. He makes great decisions. He thre for three scores and only four incompletes. Mestemaker is the darling of the portal, as well and is another example for Morris’ Quarterback resumé — the kid has it all. When we talked to coaches before the Bowl game last January, the reports were that he had all the tools, could well, throw the ball down the field, make great decisions, and even run a bit.

His time at North Texas has been strength-to-strength. His worst game was only the second game lost by North Texas under his play. Yes, that is the Texas State game and the USF game. That’s it.

3. The Defense Was Stingy Again

The squad grabbed an interception but the team lost the turnover battle. Still, Evan Simon had only the one interception all season. He takes care of the ball and yet, Cassity’s guys grabbed another one off him.

The offense has been great, and we’ve said all season that this was possible if the defense could simply be a little average. You can debate the numbers here and there about what constitutes that averageness, but we’ve seen it. This defense gives the powerful offense a chance and that has been enough for the most number of regular season wins in school history.

North Texas will now play the league championship game for the first time since the CUSA title game a few years ago that ended Seth Littrell’s tenure. Now, Eric Morris will leave the program (better than he found it) and will have his own chance to surpass that record, as he has surpassed nearly every other one for NT so far.

The greatest regular season in North Texas history has a chance to have the greatest postseason attached to it.

Go Mean Green!