A NEW AGE: WHY NORTH TEXAS’S ON-FIELD SUCCESS MIGHT BE BAD FOR THE PROGRAM

There is a system in college football where smaller schools will get penalized for having good seasons. Typically when a group of five team performs well, their head coach will take a job at a better school. And a few players will follow. And other will go to other big programs. That’s exactly what happened to the North Texas Mean Green.

Last season, North Texas didn’t have tons of expectations. They had a solid head coach, and a few good pieces, but nothing out of the ordinary. But everything changed when the team stepped on the field. Walk-on quarterback Drew Mestemaker won the job, and turned into one of the best QB’s in the entire country, leading the entire nation in pass yards. Freshman running back Caleb Hawkins rushed for 25 touchdowns, the nation's highest. Sophomore wide receiver Wyatt Young had over 1,200 yards in the air.

And the Mean Green were a fantastic team. They went 12-2, losing the conference championship game which would have potentially earned them a spot in the College Football Playoff. Overall, it was a team that couldn’t be stopped.

But of course, the offseason started and the North Texas fever dream ended. Coach Morris took the head coaching job with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and Mestemaker, Hawkins, and Young all joined him. In fact, 20 different Mean Green players took their talents to Stillwater, OK along with Morris.

North Texas could have hung their heads. They could have given up after losing every single thing that made their program special. But instead, they decided to build up and redo everything again. And some programs know exactly how to do it.

The Mean Green brought in Jaheim White at running back from the West Virginia Mountaineers, Tayven Jackson at quarterback from the UCF Knights, Corri Miliner at wide receiver from the UAB Blazers, CJ Coombes at safety from the Wofford Terriers, Zakye Barker at linebacker from the SMU Mustangs, and more.

Regardless, North Texas wasn’t supposed to compete at all this season. But they completely flipped the switch.

In game one, the Mean Green went on the road to play against the reigning national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers. And they looked much better than expected. They stayed in the game until the fourth quarter, trailing just 31-16 in the fourth quarter before letting up three touchdowns late. While they didn’t get the win, it was an inspiring first performance.

Then they backed it up. North Texas hosted the UNLV Rebels, a team that many thought could compete for a College Football Playoff spot, they entered as three point underdogs. The Mean Green dominated.

North Texas led 13-0 early, as well as 20-3 at halftime. Then, they exploded in the second half, scoring 24 points and allowing just three.

The Mean Green, a football team that had lost everything, proved in two weeks that they aren’t just a one season wonder, but a team that can compete with any roster, any coach, and any expectations.

North Texas takes on Texas State on the road next week, one of the most powerful offenses in the entire country. Another win could not only solidify a solid season, but could potentially prove that the Mean Green can push towards the College Football Playoff in 2026.