DENTON – North Texas turned a fast UTSA start into a full-scale beatdown, hammering the Roadrunners 55 to 17 at DATCU Stadium in Denton behind a precision clinic from Drew Mestemaker and a two-way bludgeon on the ground.

The Mean Green move to 6-1 and 2-1 in the American, their best start since 2018, and chalk a third 50-burger explosion this season.

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UTSA opened with a three-play, 75-yard touchdown sprint.

North Texas shrugged and then scored the next 17 in a row to flip the script before halftime. The backbreaker came on a 13-play, 76-yard march capped by Kiefer Sibley with nine seconds left for a 24-14 lead at the break.

Any doubt disappeared right after halftime.

The Mean Green punched in a third-quarter touchdown, then pounced on a UTSA fumble deep in Roadrunner territory. Mestemaker powered in a short keeper for 38-14. From there, it was track meet territory for the visitors.

Mestemaker carved up the secondary with 277 passing yards and four touchdowns, then added the rushing score for good measure.

Wyatt Young was unguardable. He posted 102 yards and three scores, including a 42-yard strike in the final minute of the third. Caleb Hawkins was the Swiss Army knife.

He ripped 133 yards on 18 carries and added eight catches for 90 more. Cameron Dorner contributed 63 yards and a touchdown to round out a balanced air attack.

After the early lapse, North Texas’ defense squeezed UTSA’s passing game to 84 yards on 11 of 20 from Owen McCown and turned takeaways into quick points.

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Robert Henry Jr. found 138 rushing yards and a score, but the Roadrunners never found a second gear.

North Texas is bowl-bound caliber and more. The Mean Green just shoved a rival around and looked like a legitimate American Conference contender while doing it.

Next up, the North Texas heads to Charlotte to face the 49ers on Friday night at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.