For many casual viewers, the New Mexico Bowl was their first real introduction to North Texas. They tuned in, heard about a fun offense and a talented young quarterback in Drew Mestemaker, and then watched a running back named Caleb Hawkins absolutely torch the defense. To those fans, it probably felt like a breakout performance, the kind that makes you say, “Wow, this guy is going to be a star next year.”
The truth? Hawkins has been doing this all season long.
Caleb Hawkins Leading North Texas to Bowl Win
Hawkins’ bowl-game stat line looked like something ripped straight out of an NCAA Football video game: 30 carries, 198 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, plus 25 receiving yards and another score through the air. He was everywhere, unstoppable, and completely in control of the game. But this wasn’t a fluke performance against a soft opponent.
San Diego State entered the game with a quietly elite defense, posting a PFSN defensive impact grade of 89, the 8th-best mark in the country. Hawkins didn’t just survive against that unit; he dominated it. He was the engine that powered North Texas to a wild 49–47 victory, a win that capped a program-record 12-win season and announced the Mean Green as a legitimate national presence.
Most Underrated Running Back in the Country
That dominance didn’t come out of nowhere.
All season long, Hawkins has been far more than just another piece in North Texas’ offensive puzzle. He’s been part of the centerpiece and nucleus. His PFSN running back impact grade of 89.2 ranks 9th in the nation, backed by production that jumps off the page: 1,236 rushing yards (14th nationally), 345 receiving yards (9th among running backs), and an astounding 23 rushing touchdowns, the most in college football. His presence helped elevate the Mean Green to an overall offensive impact grade of 84, good for 21st in the country.
And here’s the part that makes it all even more impressive: Caleb Hawkins is a true freshman.
In an era where experience often separates good players from great ones, Hawkins has already reached elite territory in his first year of college football. With NIL opportunities fully in play, he’d be wise to at least explore his value. A bidding war among top programs would be inevitable, and he would have no shortage of suitors. Yet even with that possibility looming, he still has at least two more years of college eligibility before the NFL even becomes a real conversation.
So for those who think Hawkins simply had a great bowl game and is poised to “break out” next season, that breakout already happened. It happened in 2025.
From here on out, excellence isn’t a surprise; it’s the expectation. Whether he continues to terrorize defenses in Denton or becomes the focal point of a powerhouse program elsewhere, Hawkins has already established himself as one of the most dangerous running backs in the country.
Anything that comes next won’t be a shock; it’ll just be the new normal.
