FAU at North Texas, 8 p.m. Saturday (CSS)
First and 10: North Texas
Here’s 10 things FAU fans should know about this week’s opponent, North Texas
Originally published on
10/12/2009
by
Marcus Nelson
10 things you need to know about North Texas
1. North Texas is much better than the last time FAU fans saw the Mean Green. North Texas hasn’t won a Sun Belt game this year, losing to ULL 38-34 Saturday to fall to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the Sun Belt, but did defeat Ball State in the season opener.
2. UNT’s quarterback Riley Dodge has thrown two touchdowns against seven interceptions this season and is the son of head coach Todd Dodge. Dodge missed the Mean Green’s game at Alabama with a dislocated shoulder.
3. North Texas won the first four Sun Belt championships, but has since fallen on hard times. Since Todd Dodge arrived three years ago, the Mean Green are 4-25.
4. North Texas is ranked 107th out of 120 FBS teams in scoring defense with 33.8 points per game. FAU is 114th with 36 ppg.
5. The Owls are 5-0 all-time vs. North Texas.
6. The 1991 movie “Necessary Roughness” starring Sinbad was filmed at UNT.
7. North Texas running back Lance Dunbar rushed 32 times for 187 yards in the Mean Green’s loss to ULL on Saturday and was named the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Week.
8. Todd Dodge won two national championships and four Texas Class 5A titles as heads coach of Southlake Carroll High School before taking over at North Texas.
9. Notable North Texas alums include former Steeler Mean Joe Green, current Dolphin Patrick Cobbs, TV’s favorite psychoanalyst Dr. Phil McGraw, Don Henley of the Eagles (the band, not Philadelphia) and professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
10. UNT kickoff returner Royce Hill has returned 10 kickoffs the last two games and is averaging 31.8 per return. That’s second in the Sun Belt Conference behind only FIU’s T.Y. Hilton, who is averaging 32.0 ypr.