The North Texas football program is undergoing a lot of change. North Texas lost the AAC championship this season, but is headed to a bowl game. Following the bowl game, North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker is likely headed to the transfer portal.
“Mestemaker led the country with 4,129 passing yards this season,” On3 reported.
The quarterback could change his mind.
“A final decision is not expected until after UNT's bowl game,” CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz posted to X, formerly Twitter.
North Texas is also losing their football coach. Eric Morris left the Mean Green to be the next head coach at Oklahoma State. It will be one of the toughest rebuilds in the country, as the Cowboys haven't won a Big 12 conference game since 2023. If Mestemaker does decide to transfer, Oklahoma State could be a possible destination.
North Texas is playing San Diego State in this year's New Mexico Bowl. The Aztecs finished the regular season with a 9-3 record.
Neal Brown is the new head coach at North Texas
The Mean Green will be led in 2026 by Neal Brown. Brown has a lot of head coaching experience, including at the power 4 level. He led West Virginia from 2019-2024, and had a 37-35 overall record in Morgantown.
Before his time at West Virginia, Brown was the head coach at Troy. He was very successful at that school, coaching the school to three 10-win seasons in just four years.
Brown takes over a North Texas program that has won a lot of games in recent years. During the 2025 campaign, the Mean Green posted a 11-2 mark.
North Texas had a shot to go to this year's College Football Playoff, but couldn't win the AAC title. That honor went to Tulane, who is in the CFP as the no. 11 seed.
North Texas plays their bowl game on December 27, against the Aztecs. Drew Svoboda will be the North Texas interim coach for the bowl, as Morris left for his new job.
The Mean Green are 3-12 all-time in bowl games, per the school, with their last win coming in the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl.
