Nobody expected an instant splash from redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker. Coming off Vandegrift, Drew didn’t throw for a single yard and lacked experience. But after moving to the portal, Mestemeker finally got his big break in the First Responder Bowl. Now doubling down on that excellence, he gives a record-setting performance in Week 9, setting a record that puts him straight on the list of Patrick Mahomes’ 600+ passing yard club.

Mestemaker became an overnight sensation after his record-breaking performance in the 54-20 win against the Charlotte 49ers. He didn’t set a program but an American conference record for single-game passing yards with 608 yards. With that, he even threw 4 TD passes, starting with a 41-yard strike to Cameron Dorner, 6- and 7-yard passes to Caleb Hawkins, and a 70-yard long pass to Wyatt Young.

With that, he ended his game, completing 37 of 49 passes with a 75.5% completion rate while throwing just one pick. Now that’s wild! This success even grabbed Cole Cubelic’s attention as he put it all out on X, hyping him up.

But here’s the kicker: Cubelic hits X with all the ranks of QBs with 600+ passing yards. Remarkably, Drew Mestemaker joins the list of 600+ yards passing QBs in CFB history, with elite players like Patrick Mahomes and Connor Halliday topping the list with 734 yards. Best part? With that, Drew ranks five spots above Dillon Gabriel on the list, with 601 yards. Well, he surpassed Gabriel and his own program, Daniel Meager, who set the most passing yards record with 601 yards in 2007.

With that, Drew Mestemaker ranks 17th on ESPN’s all-conferences player passing stats this season, passing for 1,860 yards with 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions. But the hype is not new, as his game dominance is grabbing attention for him. Mestemaker earned a spot on the Manning Award Watch List on October 23 after he took North Texas to a 6-1 record.

After a massive win against them, there’s a high chance that even North Texas might go into the playoffs. But the hype train for Drew Mestemaker doesn’t stop there. In joining Mahomes, he even surpasses Arch Manning’s quarterback rating. In ESPN’s QBR ratings of the season, Mestemaker holds the 62nd spot with a 64.9 QBR, whereas Manning’s rank goes way down to the 75th spot with a 58.6 QBR. Drew’s rise proves that patience and constant grind bring excellent results.

Drew Mestemaker’s consistent performance brings him rewards

This record-breaking performance came a week after Mestemaker’s excellent showing against UTSA. He threw for 277 yards with four touchdowns in a 55-17 win over them. After this performance, he also received two conference awards for his efforts. Now, consistency is also taking the team to another level.

They could make it to the Group of Five’s College Football Playoff, and even the CFP predictor gives them a 14% chance to enter the 12-team playoff before the Charlotte game. But now, with that win, North Texas sits with a 7-1 overall record and a 3-1 record in AAC play. All this comes from a walk-on who has turned the entire game dynamic.

True to what HC Eric Morris once said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if in 15 years, Drew Mestemaker’s playing football still,” as per ESPN’s Dave Wilson. Now, after Week 9’s remarkable showing, his words feel more like a done deal than a prediction.

The real test will be next week when North Texas faces the Navy. The Navy has not lost a single game this season and is currently 6-0 in the league. It will be interesting to see how Drew Mestemaker plays against them.