North Texas Mean Green @ Tulane Green Wave
AAC Championship features No. 21 North Texas against No. 22 Tulane
No. 21 North Texas (11-1) at No. 22 Tulane (10-2), Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. EST.
North Texas by 3. Against the spread: North Texas 10-2, Tulane 6-6.
How to watch: ABC
Key stats
North Texas Offense
Overall: 510.1 yards per game (1st in FBS)
Passing: 324.8 yards per game (2nd)
Rushing: 185.3 yards per game (40th)
Scoring: 46.8 points per game (1st)
North Texas Defense
Overall: 372.6 yards per game (65th in FBS)
Passing: 164.7 yards per game (10th)
Rushing: 207.9 yards per game (129th)
Scoring: 24.2 points per game (65th)
Tulane Offense
Overall: 416.3 yards per game (40th in FBS)
Passing: 248.4 yards per game (48th)
Rushing: 167.8 yards per game (60th)
Scoring: 28.7 points per game (61st)
Tulane Defense
Overall: 372.3 yards per game (64th in FBS)
Passing: 251.9 yards per game (121st)
Rushing: 120.3 yards per game (31st)
Scoring: 22.8 points per game (51st)
North Texas is 117th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 44.3% of the time. Tulane ranks 40th on offense, converting on 42.9% of third downs.
North Texas is 3rd in the FBS with a +14 turnover margin.
Tulane ranks 126th in the FBS averaging 67.4 penalty yards per game, compared to North Texas' 18th-ranked 40.2 per-game average.
Tulane is 77th in FBS in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 84.6% of trips. North Texas' red zone offense ranks 4th, scoring on 94.3% of red zone opportunities.
North Texas ranks 112th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 28:20, compared to Tulane's 51st-ranked average of 30:31.
Team leaders
North Texas
Passing: Drew Mestemaker, 3,825 yards, 29 TDs, 4 INTs, 70.6 completion percentage
Rushing: Caleb Hawkins, 1,206 yards on 193 carries, 23 TDs
Receiving: Wyatt Young, 1,203 yards on 62 catches, 10 TDs
Tulane
Passing: Jake Retzlaff, 2,717 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs, 62.6 completion percentage
Rushing: Retzlaff, 561 yards on 103 carries, 14 TDs
Receiving: Shazz Preston, 582 yards on 36 catches, 4 TDs
Last game
North Texas beat Temple 52-25 on Friday, Nov. 28. Mestemaker led North Texas with 366 yards on 20-of-24 passing (83.3%) for three touchdowns and no interceptions. Hawkins had 186 rushing yards on 25 carries and four touchdowns, adding two receptions for 28 yards. Young had six receptions for 127 yards.
Tulane won 27-0 over Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 29. Retzlaff threw for 291 yards on 28-of-38 attempts (73.7%) with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He also carried the ball four times for -4 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Jamauri McClure had 69 rushing yards on 11 carries. Anthony Brown recorded 98 yards on nine catches.
FIND TICKETS
Game Information

2025 Standings
| American ConferenceAmerican Conference | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| North Texas | 7-1 | 11-1 |
| Tulane | 7-1 | 10-2 |
| Navy | 7-1 | 9-2 |
| South Florida | 6-2 | 9-3 |
| East Carolina | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Army | 4-4 | 6-5 |
| Memphis | 4-4 | 8-4 |
| UTSA | 4-4 | 6-6 |
| Temple | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| Florida Atlantic | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Rice | 2-6 | 5-7 |
| UAB | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Tulsa | 1-7 | 4-8 |
| Charlotte | 0-8 | 1-11 |
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