DRC Sunday column: SMU game looms large for UNT, which has shot to prevent series from shifting toward bitter rival

Brett Vito · September 13, 2020

North Texas has chance to get leg up on SMU with second win in last three meetings. Loss would give SMU wins in five of last six.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Brett Vito

Salsa_Verde · September 13, 2020

If we don’t count all the games that were played in leather helmets it’s been more competitive since 2000.....that being said North Texas will never move up the college football pecking order until it beats SMU on a regular basis.

Go Mean Green

Edited September 13, 2020 by Salsa_Verde

greenb.o.g. · September 15, 2020

Let's cut through the crap North Texas players ... strike these motherf@#$%^* out!!!

Edited September 15, 2020 by greenb.o.g.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · September 15, 2020

Well we had a chance to get the CBS slot, but Marshall vs App St gets the 3:30 CBS game.

Probably a better choice, but was hoping to get the national station

southsideguy · September 15, 2020

If we don't start beating SMUT on regular basis is it worth playing them. Seems they get more out of the relationship than we do. Our fans travel to Ford and about 100 fans from SMUT show up in Denton for game day. I am going to go out on limb here and see UNT is one of the bigger draws to Ford field. I know they are taking a big risk venturing into Denton but they bring so few fans.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · September 15, 2020

8 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

If we don't start beating SMUT on regular basis is it worth playing them. Seems they get more out of the relationship than we do. Our fans travel to Ford and about 100 fans from SMUT show up in Denton for game day. I am going to go out on limb here and see UNT is one of the bigger draws to Ford field. I know they are taking a big risk venturing into Denton but they bring so few fans.

That is very true.

This is not on topic, but I was looking at both ponyfans and stampede247 and it’s unbelievable how they think ESPN+ is better than CBSSN🤣

They are too spoiled to realize that + is so bad (mainly road games because of bias)

Cr1028 · September 15, 2020

18 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

If we don't start beating SMUT on regular basis is it worth playing them. Seems they get more out of the relationship than we do. Our fans travel to Ford and about 100 fans from SMUT show up in Denton for game day. I am going to go out on limb here and see UNT is one of the bigger draws to Ford field. I know they are taking a big risk venturing into Denton but they bring so few fans.

Yes it is worth playing them. Whether we win or not, it puts us in the same arena. If we aren’t playing them, they brush us off like a FCS-level school like LaTech seems to do with the Louisiana schools not named LSU. It is good to play them, it is really good to beat them.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Cr1028

southsideguy · September 15, 2020

23 hours ago, Cr1028 said:

Yes it is worth playing them. Whether we win or not, it puts us in the same arena. If we aren’t playing them, they brush us off like a FCS-level school like LaTech seems to do with the Louisiana schools not named LSU. It is good to play them, it is really good to beat them.

you mean they are not brushing us off already?

Edited September 16, 2020 by southsideguy

Mean Green 93-98 · September 15, 2020

24 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

If we don't start beating SMUT on regular basis is it worth playing them. Seems they get more out of the relationship than we do. Our fans travel to Ford and about 100 fans from SMUT show up in Denton for game day. I am going to go out on limb here and see UNT is one of the bigger draws to Ford field. I know they are taking a big risk venturing into Denton but they bring so few fans.

It's one of the few games the casual NT alum is truly interested in. What would you suggest would be a good replacement?

southsideguy · September 15, 2020

texas tech, those Lubbock yahoos would show up in force or TCU

Edited September 16, 2020 by southsideguy

Mean Green 93-98 · September 15, 2020

10 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

texas tech, those Lubbock yahoos would show up in forc or TCU

Of course, those would be great, but I don't know that I see those as "replacements." I'm talking about another G5 team that we could have an ongoing home-and-home with.

PlummMeanGreen · September 15, 2020

After SMU beat us at Ownby Stadium (1988?) I (& many others) were so disgusted. In fact, in a shoot from the hip moment I almost took off my class ring to throw it out on the SMU football field because that game (post SMU DP) was another big missed opportunity on our part. (I kept my ring).🙄 We never take advantage of those opportunities with SMU & I mean—never! I thought last year at GJ Ford we’d get 2 wins in a row until SMU thought outside the box to garner a transfer bonanza. So much for 2 wins in a row.
••• I think most agree UNT just needs to win more against the ‘Stangs to call this a legit rivalry. Still no one on this forum has any idea how SMU president Gerald Turner & his AD even view future games. Don’t know this, but I think right now they think the game is one with potential to be a rivalry with decent gate receipts, more visiting fans (& a dandy 400+ member marching band) & little travel expense when they come to Denton. Still, in the college football world with a pecking order, some things that make cents are not always dealt with— with common sense.

GMG!

Edited September 15, 2020 by PlummMeanGreen

UNTLifer · September 15, 2020

21 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

you mean they are not bushing us off already?

Hmmm. Don't think I want them providing that service.

UNTcrazy727 · September 15, 2020

50 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

That is very true.

This is not on topic, but I was looking at both ponyfans and stampede247 and it’s unbelievable how they think ESPN+ is better than CBSSN🤣

They are too spoiled to realize that + is so bad (mainly road games because of bias)

Probably because they all have ESPN+ and it's a lot easier to find than CBSSN. Outside of the rare network game, I wish all of our games were on ESPN3/ESPN+.

greenb.o.g. · September 15, 2020

2 hours ago, southsideguy said:

If we don't start beating SMUT on regular basis is it worth playing them. Seems they get more out of the relationship than we do. Our fans travel to Ford and about 100 fans from SMUT show up in Denton for game day. I am going to go out on limb here and see UNT is one of the bigger draws to Ford field. I know they are taking a big risk venturing into Denton but they bring so few fans.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · September 15, 2020

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Probably because they all have ESPN+ and it's a lot easier to find than CBSSN. Outside of the rare network game, I wish all of our games were on ESPN3/ESPN+.

The broadcasts from espn+ to CBSSN are not even close. We have good broadcasts because we are that kind of school, but when we play on the road it’s so bad because the quality of the broadcast and announcers absolutely suck.

KRAM1 · September 15, 2020

For me, this is THE game of the season...even bigger than any potential bowl game. However, until a certain group decides this is THE GAME and not "just another game" the results might just continue as they have the last few years. I just never get the sense that "this group" (no I will not name them specifically) sees this game as anything more than "just another game" on the schedule. It simply put, IS NOT ", just another game on the schedule". It is the game. SMU is winning the recruiting battles, the public relations battles, the bragging battles and on and on. And, until that certain group sees this as the important game that it is SMU will continue to win these battles. I just never sense any "fire in the belly" with this game...nothing at all like Arkansas vs Texas (back in the day), Texas A & M vs Texas (before Texas chickened out), Texas vs OU, Army vs Navy, TCU vs SMU (to just use a few local examples). This is our "line in the sand" game, and I, for one, am getting really tired and frustrated of being on the wrong end of the score so often.

Here's hoping the change starts this Saturday at Apogee with a win for the Mean Green...the good guys!

trud1966 · September 15, 2020

Thing is, it's about perception when it comes to recruiting. When UNT signed this deal a few years back, to play each other for the next 8-10 years, we really should've seen the long term recruiting investment before. us. If we're going to play them that many times, at the very least, we need to win at least half of them. Recruits will take notice when hearing/reading something that says UNT has won 6 outta the last 10 meetings with SMU".....But...if you fall flat....well...

UNT 90 Grad · September 16, 2020

14 hours ago, KRAM1 said:

For me, this is THE game of the season...even bigger than any potential bowl game. However, until a certain group decides this is THE GAME and not "just another game" the results might just continue as they have the last few years. I just never get the sense that "this group" (no I will not name them specifically) sees this game as anything more than "just another game" on the schedule. It simply put, IS NOT ", just another game on the schedule". It is the game. SMU is winning the recruiting battles, the public relations battles, the bragging battles and on and on. And, until that certain group sees this as the important game that it is SMU will continue to win these battles. I just never sense any "fire in the belly" with this game...nothing at all like Arkansas vs Texas (back in the day), Texas A & M vs Texas (before Texas chickened out), Texas vs OU, Army vs Navy, TCU vs SMU (to just use a few local examples). This is our "line in the sand" game, and I, for one, am getting really tired and frustrated of being on the wrong end of the score so often.

Here's hoping the change starts this Saturday at Apogee with a win for the Mean Green...the good guys!

Is “this group” a sub group of players, staff, donors, SMU folk, or fans? Trying to get a little context so we know generally where to aim our protests.

untjim1995 · September 16, 2020

17 hours ago, KRAM1 said:

For me, this is THE game of the season...even bigger than any potential bowl game. However, until a certain group decides this is THE GAME and not "just another game" the results might just continue as they have the last few years. I just never get the sense that "this group" (no I will not name them specifically) sees this game as anything more than "just another game" on the schedule. It simply put, IS NOT ", just another game on the schedule". It is the game. SMU is winning the recruiting battles, the public relations battles, the bragging battles and on and on. And, until that certain group sees this as the important game that it is SMU will continue to win these battles. I just never sense any "fire in the belly" with this game...nothing at all like Arkansas vs Texas (back in the day), Texas A & M vs Texas (before Texas chickened out), Texas vs OU, Army vs Navy, TCU vs SMU (to just use a few local examples). This is our "line in the sand" game, and I, for one, am getting really tired and frustrated of being on the wrong end of the score so often.

Here's hoping the change starts this Saturday at Apogee with a win for the Mean Green...the good guys!

I’m the exact opposite on our view of this game, from the players and coaches. I feel like they feel the pressure from the fanbase to win this game. And when things snowball, it ALWAYS turns into an avalanche, especially in Dallas.

The biggest difference always comes back to if SMU has a legitimate passing game. When they have, they’ve beaten us easily. When they don’t, we have won easily. Buechele and company will have to give us turnovers to make this even close.

greenb.o.g. · September 16, 2020

18 hours ago, KRAM1 said:

For me, this is THE game of the season...even bigger than any potential bowl game. However, until a certain group decides this is THE GAME and not "just another game" the results might just continue as they have the last few years. I just never get the sense that "this group" (no I will not name them specifically) sees this game as anything more than "just another game" on the schedule. It simply put, IS NOT ", just another game on the schedule". It is the game. SMU is winning the recruiting battles, the public relations battles, the bragging battles and on and on. And, until that certain group sees this as the important game that it is SMU will continue to win these battles. I just never sense any "fire in the belly" with this game...nothing at all like Arkansas vs Texas (back in the day), Texas A & M vs Texas (before Texas chickened out), Texas vs OU, Army vs Navy, TCU vs SMU (to just use a few local examples). This is our "line in the sand" game, and I, for one, am getting really tired and frustrated of being on the wrong end of the score so often.

Here's hoping the change starts this Saturday at Apogee with a win for the Mean Green...the good guys!

Completely agree!!

This game is NOT "just another game."

And the players should feel pressure to win this game. You think the players at the "bigger" schools don't feel pressure to win against their rivals?

This is what the players signed up for when they came to North Texas. If they don't want to feel pressure to win then in the words of former coach Dan Hawkins, "Go play intramurals brother."

Edited September 16, 2020 by greenb.o.g.

meangreen11 · September 16, 2020

It seems like our collective morale after losing to SMU handily drops significantly every year. I am not saying we have to win but at least show up and be competitive in the match.

meangreen11 · September 16, 2020

Also if we are not competitive it is not worth playing them.

untjim1995 · September 16, 2020

2 minutes ago, meangreen11 said:

Also if we are not competitive it is not worth playing them.

We will play them anytime they will schedule us. That's a fact. SMU schedules us when they need us. And right now, they need us because we bring people to their stadium, unlike almost every other opponent they have, and they usually get a win. If we were to ever start beating them regularly, as in the records for this recent series were reversed, they would have bought out of this deal in a heartbeat, because their moneyed fans would never be able to handle the negativity it would cause to them by losing to us, from a media standpoint and in recruiting.