North Texas vs Texas College Football Preview

Coming off an 8-5 record in Mack Brown’s final season, the Texas Longhorns look to start the Charlie Strong era off with a home win against the Mean Green of UNT. Strong came into Austin and quickly made his presence known, dismissing five players and suspending three others for personal conduct issues. Quarterback David Ash is healthy again after playing only three games last year due to concussion issues. Running backs Jonathan Gray and Malcolm Brown are considered one of the best tandems in the Big 12 and look to carry the Longhorn’s offensive load this season. The Longhorn defense should be a solid unit, with a strong defensive line and secondary. Seniors, cornerback Quandre Diggs and defensive end Cedric Reed, will lead a Texas defense looking to improve under Strong and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford. If the Longhorns can have a smooth transition from Brown’s systems to Strong’s, they could crack the top-25 and make waves in an open Big 12. The Mean Green are coming off a season where they finished 9-4 overall and 6-2 in Conference USA with a victory in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. However, Dan McCarney’s squad returns only 9 starters. UNT should be able to contend for a Conference USA title due to a relatively easy schedule. The Longhorns’ talent should be enough to beat a hungry North Texas team.

Keys to the Game

Texas

• Texas’ offense will look to Gray and Brown to lead the way against UNT due to the uncertainty in their passing game. With wide receivers Jaxon Shipley out indefinitely due to a hamstring injury and Daje Johnson suspended at least one game, the Longhorns will turn to junior Marcus Johnson to be the downfield threat. Defensively, Texas should not have any issues stopping the Mean Green.

North Texas

• The Mean Green will be replacing multiple offensive starters, including their leading passer, rusher, and receiver. They must control the ball behind their experienced offensive line to have even a slight hope at pulling the upset in Austin. UNT will have to try and stop Texas at the line of scrimmage to prevent Gray and Brown from beating them.

 

Key Injuries:

Texas: WR Jaxon Shipley (hamstring, out indefinitely), TE Miles Onyegbule (ACL, out for season), RB Donald Catalon (hamstring, out indefinitely), LB Deoundrei Davis (knee, out indefinitely)

North Texas: No key injuries

Line/Odds: Texas by +26.5 points

The Charlie Strong era in Austin begins against a North Texas team coming off its best season in a decade. UNT has the ability to play a close game with the Longhorns, but Texas’ talent should lead them to a comfortable victory.