ESPN College Football

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Lance Dunbar rushed for 215 yards and three touchdowns as North Texas defeated Western Kentucky 33-6 in a Sun Belt conference game Saturday.

It was the Mean Green's first game under interim coach Mike Canales -- 10 days after North Texas (2-6, 2-3) dismissed Todd Dodge, who compiled a 6-37 record in parts of four seasons.

Dunbar made Canales' debut successful, outperforming Western Kentucky's Bobby Rainey, who entered the game as the conference's leading rusher. Dunbar carried 30 times, while Rainey gained 100 yards on 23 carries.

Brandon Byrd also contributed to North Texas' ground game, which accounted for 311 of the Mean Green's 400 total yards. Byrd rushed five times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown run with 4:14 left.

The Hilltoppers (1-7, 1-3) have lost 27 of 28 games, after breaking a 26-game losing streak last week.