Their struggling offense couldn't score, their team couldn't win, they changed coaches at midseason and there wasn't much indication they could compete at the Conference USA level.
That was the state of North Texas football in 2015. They suffered a season-ending loss to UTEP that sent them into a coaching search at 1-11 and hope didn't seem a denizen of that precinct.
Fast forward two years and the Miners return to a program turned upside down. The 6-3 Mean Green are first place in C-USA West, prohibitive favorites to win it, a good bet to go into December's league title game at 9-3.
Everything that has happened since that loss to UTEP is a blueprint for the Miners, for anyone on the wrong end of the standings, really, as they look to duplicate the miracle in Denton.
read more: http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/college/utep/2017/11/09/north-texas-uteps-shoes-two-years-ago-now-first-place/848399001/