For the second year in a row, North Texas is replacing its leading passer, rusher, and receiver on the offensive side of the ball. But fear not Mean Green faithful, head coach Eric Morris figured it out last year and posted another Top 25 scoring offense. The biggest change in the offseason was the arrival of new defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity, who helped Sam Houston win 10 games last year. The conference schedule doesn’t include Memphis or Tulane, and the UTSA game is at home. The Mean Green might end the season as the best G5 team in Texas. 

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN

2024 record: 6-7

Overview

The first half of the North Texas schedule is tricky but the toughest games are in Denton, America, with Washington State, South Florida, South Alabama, and UTSA visiting by Oct. 18. The toughest road trip on the year is at Army in Week 4, though the visit to Western Michigan is tougher than it sounds. The good news for the Mean Green is that the second half of the schedule sets up for an AAC run. Survive the first seven games and this could be the best season in years. 

Biggest Game – Oct. 18 vs. UTSA

The Mean Green have lost four straight to their rivals from San Antonio and have given up at least 30 points in each of those defeats. With no Tulane or Memphis on the AAC schedule, knocking off UTSA could catapult North Texas to conference championship game contention. 

Trap Game – Nov. 22 at Rice

North Texas has a chance to close strong in 2025 due to an easier end-of-the-year calendar that includes Charlotte and Temple. A trip to Rice in the second-to-last game of the season could be tricky if the Mean Green don’t improve against the run because the Owls are all-in on a new option attack.  

Upset Bid – Sept. 13 vs. Washington State

Sure, the Cougars are no longer a Power Five program, but that doesn’t mean a home win over the Pac-12 foes wouldn’t be a feather in the cap for Eric Morris’ program. Washington State is breaking in a new head coach and quarterback in 2025.  

Can’t Lose – Sept. 6 at Western Michigan 

The five-game stretch after the trip to Western Michigan in Week 2 will define the North Texas season. That makes the trip to Kalamazoo critically important to the Mean Green because anything worse than a 2-0 start (UNT begins the season with Lamar at home) would be considered a letdown. Western Michigan was 6-7 overall last year and 5-3 in the MAC. 

Most Important Stretch – Sept. 13 – Oct. 18 

The five-game stretch mentioned above begins at home against Washington State in Week 3 and ends with UTSA visiting Denton on Oct. 18. Between those bookends, the Mean Green travel to Army and host South Alabama and South Florida. Not to be reductive, but tell me their record in those five games and I’ll tell you if North Texas achieved its goals. They should be favored in each of their last five games, so a 3-2 or 4-1 stretch here could put UNT into AAC contention. 

Full Schedule

Aug. 30                 Lamar                    
Sept. 6                  at Western Michigan  
Sept. 13               Washington State         
Sept. 20               at Army                 
Sept. 27               South Alabama               
Oct. 10                 South Florida  
Oct. 18                 UTSA    
Oct. 24                 at Charlotte     
Nov. 1                    Navy                       
Nov. 15                 at UAB                   
Nov. 22                 at Rice                   
Nov. 29                 Temple