1997 North Texas Mean Green football team

Last updated

1997 North Texas Mean Green football
Conference Big West Conference
Record4-7 (3-2 Big West)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorCharlie Hall (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorFred Bleil (1st season)
Home stadium Fouts Field
(Capacity: 30,500)
Seasons
  1996
1998  
1997 Big West Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Utah State +  4 1   6 6  
Nevada +  4 1   5 6  
Boise State  3 2   5 6  
Idaho  2 3   5 6  
North Texas  2 3   4 7  
New Mexico State  0 5   2 9  
  • + Conference co-champions

The 1997 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Matt Simon. The team finished the regular season with a 4-7 overall record with a 2-3 mark in Big West play. Simon was fired at the conclusion of the season.

Contents

Previous season

North Texas failed to improve on their 5-6 record from 1996.

"Do you believe in the Mean Green?"

Despite a rough season in which North Texas failed to qualify for a bowl game, the 1997 team managed to pull of one of the signature wins in program history on the road over Texas Tech. The Mean Green led the Red Raiders 30-27 in the dying minutes at Jones Stadium in Lubbock. As a final desperation heave into the end zone was batted down incomplete by the North Texas secondary to secure the upset, play-by-play voice George Dunham exclaimed "Do you believe in the Mean Green?" The call became a rallying cry for Mean Green fans, and is still prominently used by the university to this day.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 30at Vanderbilt *L 12–2938,281
September 6at Oregon State *L 7–3330,818
September 13 Indiana State *W 41–6
September 20at Texas Tech *W 30–2743,620
September 27vs. No. 22 Texas A&M *L 10–3642,224
October 4at Idaho L 17–3010,270
October 18 Boise State *
  • Fouts Field
  • Denton, TX
L 14–1715,047 [1]
October 25at Nevada L 10–6519,470
November 8at New Mexico State W 26–15
November 15at Army *L 14–25
November 22 Utah State
  • Fouts Field
  • Denton, TX
W 51–486,750
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fouts Field</span> Stadium in Texas, United States

Fouts Field was a stadium at the University of North Texas, located in Denton, Texas. Its primary use from its opening in 1952 until 2010 was as the home field for North Texas Mean Green football. Over its 59-year history, Fouts Field was the college home of players such as Joe Greene, Abner Haynes, and Steve Ramsey.

Patrick Daniel McCarney is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Iowa State University from 1995 to 2006 and the University of North Texas from 2011 to 2015, compiling a career college football coaching record of 78–117.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Texas Mean Green</span> Intercollegiate athletics program of the University of North Texas

North Texas Mean Green represents the University of North Texas (UNT) in intercollegiate athletics. The teams compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). North Texas competed in the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA before joining the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2023. UNT's official school colors are Green and White. North Texas' mascot is an Eagle named Scrappy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Texas Mean Green football</span> College football organization

The North Texas Mean Green football program is the intercollegiate team that represents the University of North Texas in the sport of American football. The Mean Green compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the American Athletic Conference. They are coached by Eric Morris, who was hired as the new head coach of the Mean Green on December 13, 2022. North Texas has produced 24 conference championship titles, with twelve postseason bowl appearances and four appearances in the former I-AA Playoffs. The Mean Green play their home games at the DATCU Stadium which has a seating capacity of 30,850.

The 2007 Navy vs. North Texas football game was a regular-season college football game between the Navy Midshipmen and the North Texas Mean Green, played on November 10, 2007 at Fouts Field in Denton, Texas. The game held the record for the most combined points scored in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) regulation game with 136 total points, until 137 combined points were scored by Syracuse and Pittsburgh during their November 26, 2016 matchup.

The 2012 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, as they have done since 1968. 2012 marked the 117th season in school history. The Wildcats were led by head coach Bill Snyder in his 21st overall and fourth straight season since taking over for his second tenure in 2009. K-State competed as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Conference play began with an upset victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, which was the first win for the Wildcats in Norman since October 25, 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 North Texas Mean Green football team</span> American college football season

The 2012 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was led by second-year head coach Dan McCarney and played its home games at Apogee Stadium. It was the Mean Green's 12th and final season as members of the Sun Belt Conference (SBC); the school joined Conference USA on July 1, 2013. The team finished with a record of four wins and eight losses to finish seventh in the conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 North Texas Mean Green football team</span> American college football season

The 2013 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Dan McCarney and played its home games at Apogee Stadium. It was the Mean Green's first season as members of Conference USA, competing in the West Division. The team earned a 9–4 record and won the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl. Additionally, it set a school record for average home attendance per game at 21,030. The defense was notable for being statistically the best second half defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It received two top 25 votes in the Coaches' Poll to end the season.

The 2014 January Heart of Dallas Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on January 1, 2014, at the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. The fourth edition of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, it featured the UNLV Rebels of the Mountain West Conference against the North Texas Mean Green of Conference USA. The game began at 11:00 a.m. CST and aired on ESPNU. It was one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by PlainsCapital Bank and was officially known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl Presented by PlainsCapital Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Texas Longhorns football team</span> American college football season

The 2014 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the Big 12 Conference in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Texas was led by first-year head coach Charlie Strong. The team played their home games at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. They finished the season 6–7, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a three way tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Texas Bowl where they lost to Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seth Littrell</span> American football player and coach (born 1978)

James Seth Littrell is an American football coach and former player. He is currently an offensive analyst at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma. He was the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green football team from 2016–2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 North Texas Mean Green football team</span> American college football season

The 2016 North Texas Mean Green football team represented University of North Texas in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach Seth Littrell. They finished the season 5–8, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. Because there were not enough 6-win bowl eligible teams, they received a bowl invitation as a 5–7 team with the highest APR score. They were invited to the Heart of Dallas Bowl where they lost to Army in overtime.

The 2016 Heart of Dallas Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game played on December 27, 2016, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. The seventh edition of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, the game featured the Army Black Knights, an independent, and the North Texas Mean Green of Conference USA. It was one of the 2016–17 bowl games that concluded the 2016 FBS football season. Sponsored by fast food restaurant Zaxby's, the game was officially known as the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl. Broadcast on ESPN, Army defeated North Texas by a score of 38–31.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 North Texas Mean Green football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 North Texas Mean Green football team represented University of North Texas in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas, as members of the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by second-year head coach Seth Littrell. The Mean Green finished the season 9–5, 7–1 in C-USA play to win the West Division. They lost the C-USA Championship Game to Florida Atlantic. They received an invite to the New Orleans Bowl where they lost to Troy.

The 2000 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Darrell Dickey. The team finished their regular season 3-8 overall and 1-4 in Big West play. They did not qualify for a bowl game for the 40th straight season

The 1999 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Darrell Dickey. The team finished the regular season with a 2–9 overall record and a 1–5 mark in Big West play.

The 1998 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Darrell Dickey, who took over for Matt Simon. Dickey had been hired away from SMU, serving as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the year prior. The team finished the regular season with a 3-8 overall record with a 3-2 mark in Big West play.

The 1996 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Matt Simon. The team finished the regular season with a 5-6 overall record with a 3-2 mark in Big West play.

The 1995 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed as an Independent. They were led by second-year head coach Matt Simon. The team finished the regular season with a 2–9 record.

References

  1. "BSU capitalizes on miscues in 17-14 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). wire services. October 19, 1997. p. 5B.
  2. "2017 North Texas Facts & Records" (PDF). North Texas Athletics Department.