2016 North Texas Mean Green football team
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.
2016 North Texas Mean Green football | |
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Heart of Dallas Bowl, L 31–38 OT vs. Army | |
Conference | Conference USA |
West Division | |
2016 record | 5–8 (3–5 C-USA) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Graham Harrell (1st season) |
Offensive scheme | Air raid |
Defensive coordinator | Mike Ekeler (1st season) |
Base defense | 4–3 |
Home stadium | Apogee Stadium (Capacity: 30,850) |
2016 Conference USA football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Kentucky xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old Dominion x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Middle Tennessee | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIU | 4 | – | 4 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Charlotte | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marshall | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida Atlantic | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana Tech xy | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UTSA | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southern Miss | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Texas | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rice | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UTEP | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Western Kentucky 58, Louisiana Tech 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
North Texas announced its 2016 football schedule on February 4, 2016. The 2016 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Mean Green will host C–USA foes Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, and Southern Miss, and will travel to Rice, UTEP, UTSA, and Western Kentucky (WKU).[1]
The team will play four non–conference games, two home games against Bethune-Cookman from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and SMU from the American Athletic Conference, and two road games against Army and Florida from the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 3 | 6:00 p.m. | SMU* | ASN | L 21–34 | 24,718 | |
September 10 | 6:00 p.m. | Bethune-Cookman* |
| CUSA.tv | W 41–20 | 15,609 |
September 17 | 6:30 p.m. | at No. 23 Florida* | ESPNU | L 0–32 | 86,848 | |
September 24 | 5:00 p.m. | at Rice | CUSA.tv | W 42–35 2OT | 20,792 | |
October 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Middle Tennessee |
| CI | L 13–30 | 19,823 |
October 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Marshall |
| ASN | W 38–21 | 18,216 |
October 22 | 11:00 a.m. | at Army* | CBSSN | W 35–18 | 31,127 | |
October 29 | 6:00 p.m. | at UTSA |
| CUSA.tv | L 17–31 | 19,553 |
November 5 | 4:30 p.m. | Louisiana Tech![]() |
| ESPN3 | L 24–45 | 21,643 |
November 12 | 2:30 p.m. | at WKU | ESPN3 | L 7–45 | 16,239 | |
November 19 | 4:30 p.m. | Southern Miss |
| beIN | W 29–23 | 19,120 |
November 26 | 3:00 p.m. | at UTEP | CUSA.tv | L 24–52 | 18,591 | |
December 27 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. Army* | ESPN | L 31–38 OT | 39,117 | |
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- Schedule Source:[2]
Game summaries
SMU
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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SMU | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 34 |
North Texas | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: September 3, 2016
- Game time: 06:06 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Temperature: 86 °F (30 °C) • Wind: 12 E • Weather: Clear
- Game attendance: 24,718
- Referee: Referee: Tracy Jones, *Umpire: Nick Pergine* Linesman: Lyndell Shelton* Line Judge: Colin Gaynor* Back Judge: Jim Downey* Field Judge: Jim Smith* Side Judge: Matt Waldron*
- TV: ASN
Game information | ||
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Bethune–Cookman
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
Mean Green | 7 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 41 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: September 10, 2016
- Game time: 06:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 15,609
- TV: CUSA.TV
Game information | ||
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After falling to FCS Portland State 66–7 the previous season, the Mean Green soundly beat FCS Bethune–Cookman 41–20. Mason Fine entered the game as North Texas's quarterback midway through the 3rd quarter following an Alec Morris interception that was returned for a touchdown. Fine would later be named as the starter for the Mean Green.
at Florida
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
#23 Gators | 5 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 32 |
at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida
- Date: September 17, 2016
- Game time: 06:30 p.m.
- Game attendance: 86,848
- TV: ESPNU
Game information | ||
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at Rice
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total | |
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Mean Green | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
Owls | 10 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
at Rice Stadium • Houston, Texas
- Date: September 24, 2016
- Game time: 5:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 20,792
- TV: CUSA.TV
Game information | ||
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The Mean Green traveled to Houston to open up conference play against the Rice Owls. UNT won over Rive 42–35 in double overtime after trailing 17–0. With the win, the Mean Green improved to an overall record of 2–2, and surpassed their win total from the previous season.
Middle Tennessee
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Blue Raiders | 0 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
Mean Green | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: October 1, 2016
- Game time: 5:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 19,823
- TV: CI
Game information | ||
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Marshall
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Thundering Herd | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
Mean Green | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: October 8, 2016
- Game time: 6:00 p.m.
- TV: ASN
Game information | ||
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Marshall entered the game with a 76.6% win probability against North Texas, but the Mean Green came out on top over the Thundering Herd with a 38–21 victory.[4] This is North Texas's first ever win over Marshall.
at Army
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Mean Green | 14 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
Black Knights | 7 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 18 |
at Michie Stadium • West Point, NY
- Date: October 22, 2016
- Game time: 11:00 a.m.
- Game weather: Temperature: 45 °F (7 °C) • Weather: cloudy, 55% chance of rain
- Game attendance: 31,127
- TV: CBSSN
Game information | ||
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at UTSA
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
Roadrunners | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
at Alamodome • San Antonio, Texas
- Date: October 29, 2016
- Game time: 6:00 PM
- Game attendance: 19,553
- TV: CUSA.tv
Game information | ||
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Louisiana Tech
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Bulldogs | 14 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 45 |
Mean Green | 7 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: November 5, 2016
- Game time: 4:30 PM
- Game attendance: 21,643
- TV: ESPN3
Game information | ||
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at WKU
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Hilltoppers | 17 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 45 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Date: November 12, 2016
- Game time: 2:30 PM
- Game attendance: 16,239
- TV: ESPN3
Game information | ||
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Southern Miss
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Golden Eagles | 0 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 23 |
Mean Green | 17 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 29 |
at Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas
- Date: November 19, 2016
- Game time: 4:30 p.m.
- Game attendance: 19,120
- TV: beIN
Game information | ||
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at UTEP
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
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Mean Green | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
Miners | 10 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
at Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, Texas
- Date: November 26, 2016
- Game time: 3:00 PM
- Game attendance: 18,591
- TV: CUSA.tv
Game information | ||
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Army–Heart of Dallas Bowl
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
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Black Knights | 12 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 38 |
Mean Green | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
at Cotton Bowl • Dallas, Texas
- Date: December 27, 2016
- Game time: 11:00 AM
- TV: ESPN
Game information | ||
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References
- "North Texas Releases 2016 Football Schedule" (Press release). University of North Texas Department of Athletics. February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- "2016 North Texas Mean Green Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- http://www.smumustangs.com/boxscore.aspx?id=618&path=football
- "Marshall vs. North Texas - Game Summary - October 8, 2016". ESPN. Retrieved October 8, 2016.