Texas
2024 North Texas Football Prediction & Preview With Betting Odds, Schedule, Key Returners & Outlook
It could be argued the first season in the AAC and the first year under head coach Eric Morris went probably about as most would expect for North Texas.
UNTʻs win total Over/Under was set at 6 entering the season. The Mean Green barely fell short of that number, going 5-7 and 3-5 in league play.
Despite a new coach and transitioning to a tougher league, UNT still competed well. It dropped five one-score games — three of them to Tulane, UTSA, and Memphis. This was part of a brutal four-game stretch that also included a visit to SMU.
On a four-game losing skid entering Week 12 after this tough stretch, the Mean Green grinded it out and finished on a two-game win streak. That says a lot about Morris and the culture he is trying to establish.
There was certainly a lot learned last year for this program, especially on the defensive side of the ball. We’ll see if they can turn those learning curves into wins in Year 2 under Morris.
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North Texas’ odds to win the AAC are +2200, via BetMGM.
North Texas’ win total Over/Under is 5.5, with the Over at -135 and the Under at +110.
8/31 at South Alabama
9/7 vs Stephen F. Austin
9/14 at Texas Tech
9/21 vs Wyoming
9/28 vs Tulsa
10/12 at FAU
10/19 at Memphis
10/26 vs Tulane
11/9 vs Army
11/15 at UTSA
11/23 vs East Carolina
11/30 at Temple
Bold indicates AAC contests
2023 All-AAC Third Team
LB Jordan Brown
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North Texas’ Rush Defense Must Improve
I remember watching North Texas play Cal during Week 1 last season. Granted, he is one of the best running backs in the country, but I still couldn’t believe how silly Jaydn Ott made the Mean Green’s defense look. Ott finished that game with 188 yards and two scores, averaging 9.4 yards per carry.
Come to find out, that was just the start of what would plague UNT all season long. Not only did its defense finish last in the entire FBS in rushing yards allowed per game (255.2), but it also ranked dead last in total defense after allowing 476.4 yards per game. It’s a surprise and a testament to their offense the Mean Green finished with five wins after giving up 37 points per game.
Teams were able to do whatever they wanted on the ground against the Mean Green all year. This, of course, opened up the playbook. If the defense is going to be better, it starts with stopping the run.
Morris brought in a few transfers on the defensive line to do this, including Jake Shipley from Oregon, who should make a big difference. Starters Roderick Brown and Fatafehi Vailea II return on the DL with a ton of experience and should be motivated after last season.
The Mean Green had some linebackers who struggled to stop the run last year and who are no longer on the roster. Jordan Brown (82) and Ethan Wesloski (63) were first and third on the roster in total tackles, respectively, and will return but must and should improve. Isheem Young comes in from Ole Miss, and the safety should play a hybrid role and will be key in stopping the run.
With 2022 All-Conference USA first-team cornerback Ridge Texada coming back and three transfers coming in, the Mean Green should have a decent secondary.
On the other side of the ball, quarterback Chandler Morris will lead the offense after transferring from TCU where he passed for 1,532 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. He has a solid target in Damon Ward Jr. and a strong offensive line. With Eric Morris’ past success guiding offenses, this group will have some potential. He did once coach a guy named Patrick Mahomes and a high-powered Texas Tech offense.
I donʻt predict North Texas to win the AAC but there is a slight chance it can reach six wins and get to a bowl game.
UNTʻs win total at 5.5 seems right on point as its non-conference schedule isnʻt the easiest. Thereʻs a real possibility the Mean Green are 1-3 heading into AAC play with their only non-conference win coming vs. Stephen F. Austin.
If this is the case, winning five league games might be a stretch. There are only two games where I have a lot of faith in the Mean Green coming away victorious and thatʻs against Tulsa and Temple. Their other likely shots at wins come at FAU and at home against Army and East Carolina, but none of these will be easy outings.
Because of its schedule and roster turnover, I don’t think UNT can get to six wins. Morris will have a chance to prove his team can finish in the top half of the conference and pull off an upset or two, but I need to see it before I trust the Mean Green to go Over 5.5 wins.
Texas
Some Venezuelans in North Texas celebrate Maduro’s capture, hopeful for the future: “We know this is just a first step.”
The celebration continues among the Venezuelan community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area following Nicolás Maduro’s capture. Sunday afternoon, several dozen people gathered at Vitruvian Park in Addison.
“It’s something amazing. You feel relieved because we’ve been in this situation for 27 years,” said Jani Mendez. “We’re glad this country. They opened their arms to us, but we’re here because it was a necessity; because we- they- were afraid to be in Venezuela.”
Among the crowd was a Venezuelan politician, Angel Caridad.
“I’ve been in the United States for five years now,” said Caridad. “We had to flee because our lives were in danger. My house was shot up.”
According to data from the U.S. Census, Texas has the second-largest population of Venezuelans in the U.S., behind Florida. An estimated 122,000 Venezuelans live in the state, with approximately 20,000 in the DFW area.
“At this moment at this point, all my family is here. I brought all my family because I was scared something happened to them,” said Mendez.
Many celebrating also say this is something they are doing for those in Venezuela who cannot.
“Imagine not being able to express how you feel, or not being able to say what you think, simply because you’ll be accused of being a terrorist,” said Maria Huerta.
Those attending were also asked their thoughts on the U.S. running Venezuela during the transition.
“It’s very good, it’s very important, and it’s very necessary,” said Caridad.
“We know this is just a first step, and many things still need to happen and will happen over the next few days, but knowing that the person at the top has been taken down is a relief,” said Huerta.
Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Parker Livingstone remains in the transfer portal, and it seems as though fans don’t know how to feel about it.
Different rumors and hypotheticals have surfaced to explain his departure, leaving people unsure of what to believe.
However, Bobby Burton of On Texas Football has set the record straight regarding the Livingstone situation.
Livingstone reportedly not forced out of Texas
In Livingstone’s goodbye message to Longhorn fans, he said that his decision to transfer was “out of my control.” While this statement could have some truth to it, and fans looking inward will probably never get a full explanation, it doesn’t appear as though the redshirt freshman was forced out the door with no alternative.
According to Burton, he was actually offered a mid-six figure NIL/ revenue sharing deal with the Longhorns. He turned the deal down, choosing to become one of over 15 Longhorns to enter his name into the transfer portal instead.
Burton revealed these details about Livingstone’s offer in response to an article published by The Athletic, which used Livingstone as an example of players who had to enter into the portal involuntarily.
The business behind college football in the modern era is complicated. That much is undeniable.
That being said, describing his departure as involuntary when a significant amount of money existed for him at Texas seems somewhat contradictory.
Livingstone could’ve been told that his playing time would be at risk, or he could’ve come to a realization that he could probably get a better deal with a different program. There also could’ve been factors playing into his decision that no one has even thought of.
It’s hard to determine exactly what goes on behind closed doors, especially as college players become more involved in the business side of the game.
Livingstone likely couldn’t have anticipated the way in which his particular case would be used as one to critique the transfer portal at large, but that seems to be a byproduct of being a well-known and well-respected player within a program.
Right now, his main priority is probably finding a future home that suits him and what he hopes to achieve throughout the rest of his college career. The Indiana Hoosiers and Oklahoma Sooners have both emerged as schools he will take a closer look at, and more will be revealed soon about where Livingstone will set up shop for this next chapter of his football career.
Portal season is going to keep coaching staffs and program front offices up at night.
Apparently, it’s going to keep fans up at night as well. Kentucky fans are going to face that reality these next few days, maybe even a week or more, regarding quarterback Sam Leavitt, who visited Kentucky this weekend.
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Unfortunately, Leavitt left Lexington without signing with the Wildcats. He’s now set to visit Texas Tech on Sunday, per On3’s Pete Nakos
Leavitt is one of the top players to enter the transfer portal after the window opened on Friday. He currently ranks as the No. 2 overall player and top quarterback to hit the open market, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings.
Leavitt is expected to be one of the most sought-after transfer quarterbacks this cycle after spending the last two seasons at Arizona State. He helped lead the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in 2024 before injuries impacted his production in 2025.
Wildcats fans are excited about the tantalizing prospect Leavitt is, but now the waiting game begins.
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