Thank you to La Tech, our Best Rival

[ADLER]

Our biggest crowds in the last several seasons for both football and basketball have when hosting La Tech. (2018 football, and last night for basketball)

Our fans enjoy this rivalry and many Tech fans in the metroplex come out to support their teams in Denton.

Did anyone else notice the high percentage of Tech fans that stayed after the game and applauded when North Texas was awarded the CUSA Championship Trophy. Pure class.

I look forward to Tech soon joining us in the AAC, and I will be cheering for the Dawgs as my second team at the CUSA Tournament in Frisco.

[Andrew]

Just now, ADLER said:

Our biggest crowds in the last several seasons for both football and basketball have when hosting La Tech. (2018 football, and last night for basketball)

Our fans enjoy this rivalry and many Tech fans in the metroplex come out to support their teams in Denton.

Did anyone else notice the high percentage of Tech fans that stayed after the game and applauded when North Texas was awarded the CUSA Championship Trophy. Pure class.

I look forward to Tech soon joining us in the AAC, and I will be cheering for the Dawgs as my second team at the CUSA Tournament in Frisco.

La tech, Marshal, and USM are three schools I wish we could have tag along with us. 

[CMJ]

 

12 minutes ago, Andrew said:

La tech, Marshal, and USM are three schools I wish we could have tag along with us. 

I'd rather take WKU personally.

[Andrew]

8 minutes ago, CMJ said:

 

I'd rather take WKU personally.

Across the board? All sports? Idk. I feel like WKU and MTSU as well as both Florida schools don’t have the national view/knowledge as the other schools listed. Most people know the other three schools exist. Outside of a die hard basketball fan hard to find people that know WKU is even division 1. 
-you could test it though and spend a day asking around in California. I always have these conversations here locally or on vacation. For example came across a LSU fan who actually knew about UNT as well as La Tech and UAB but didn’t know most of the other teams in our current conference. I did know L. Monroe though haha. 

[Cooke County Kid]

I like playing LaTech, they have good sport teams and good fans, I too will miss them.  I always thank away team fans for coming to games and let them know we appreciate them coming.  The LaTech fans are always nice and respectful..

GO MEAN GREEN!!!
WIN GAMES!!!

[ADLER]

Point is, there are several really good schools in our conference that we will be leaving behind, but we have a special rivalry with Louisiana Tech.

It may be different if WKU or Marshall were only three hours away, but they're not.

[El Paso Eagle]

Would really like to see us keep playing LaTech in BB and FB

[NT80]

1 hour ago, ADLER said:

Our biggest crowds in the last several seasons for both football and basketball have when hosting La Tech. (2018 football, and last night for basketball.

Usually because they are near the top of standings in those sports.   They do an excellent job of maintaining competitive teams year to year...with a lower budget....and can still somehow even have a baseball program?!?!!

[CMJ]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

Across the board? All sports? Idk. I feel like WKU and MTSU as well as both Florida schools don’t have the national view/knowledge as the other schools listed. Most people know the other three schools exist. Outside of a die hard basketball fan hard to find people that know WKU is even division 1. 
-you could test it though and spend a day asking around in California. I always have these conversations here locally or on vacation. For example came across a LSU fan who actually knew about UNT as well as La Tech and UAB but didn’t know most of the other teams in our current conference. I did know L. Monroe though haha. 

People here know who WKU is.  They nearly upset UCLA in the Sweet 16 back in like 2008 or so.

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

Across the board? All sports? Idk. I feel like WKU and MTSU as well as both Florida schools don’t have the national view/knowledge as the other schools listed. Most people know the other three schools exist. Outside of a die hard basketball fan hard to find people that know WKU is even division 1. 
-you could test it though and spend a day asking around in California. I always have these conversations here locally or on vacation. For example came across a LSU fan who actually knew about UNT as well as La Tech and UAB but didn’t know most of the other teams in our current conference. I did know L. Monroe though haha. 

I think you forgot what WKU did in football this year.

[ttunt1970]

I'm with EP Eagle would like to keep playing LA Tech in all sports men & women. I believe they are a rival (next to nUTSAc)

 

[MeanGreenTexan]

10 hours ago, ttunt1970 said:

I'm with EP Eagle would like to keep playing LA Tech in all sports men & women. I believe they are a rival (next to ahead of nUTSAc)

 

Fixed it.

Adler nailed this one.   

Think about how many games (both basketball and football) have had so much on the line between NT & LATech over the years, then think about NT VS any other C-USA school.   Maybe UAB (which we'll get to continue playing)?   
NT VS Rice (outside of soccer), UTEP, & UTSA (although I'll give you the Drive) have had virtually nothing on the line for the most part.   Heck, the fact that UTSA rolled over on us last November (in a game that only had meaning for us) is the reason we're stuck in a tough football situation right now.

I'll really miss playing the Bulldogs on the regular, and hope we can continue to schedule them in all sports.

[Danish43]

16 hours ago, NT80 said:

Usually because they are near the top of standings in those sports.   They do an excellent job of maintaining competitive teams year to year...with a lower budget....and can still somehow even have a baseball program?!?!!

Good point Jeff. As much as I hate to admit it, they do much better recruiting than us.

[Hunter Green]

18 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Would really like to see us keep playing LaTech in BB and FB

Not sure that makes sense from a recruiting standpoint? Do we want them to have any more exposure in Texas? They would have left us behind in a heartbeat if given the chance.

[El Paso Eagle]

5 minutes ago, Hunter Green said:

Not sure that makes sense from a recruiting standpoint? Do we want them to have any more exposure in Texas? They would have left us behind in a heartbeat if given the chance.

They will continue to be a strong recruiter in Texas if we play them or not. Have been strong here for 40+ years. We talk about wanting to play good regional games. Hopefully we are more concerned about our success than what our failure would do for them.

[Hunter Green]

3 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

They will continue to be a strong recruiter in Texas if we play them or not. Have been strong here for 40+ years. We talk about wanting to play good regional games. Hopefully we are more concerned about our success than what our failure would do for them.

No, I get that. They have been a great rival deserving of respect. I just remember them looking down their nose at us when we desperately wanted into CUSA the first time. I admire what they've done despite their location and supposed limited budget.

[MeanGreenTexan]

24 minutes ago, Hunter Green said:

No, I get that. They have been a great rival deserving of respect. I just remember them looking down their nose at us when we desperately wanted into CUSA the first time. I admire what they've done despite their location and supposed limited budget.

Huh?   They joined us in C-USA at the same time.  How could they look down at us when they were desperately wanting to join C-USA along with us?

[UNTcrazy727]

La Tech is definitely a notch below UTSA and SMU when it comes to our best/most hated rivals. I don't know anyone that looks forward to our games vs La Tech like they do with SMU and UTSA. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

12 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

La Tech is definitely a notch below UTSA and SMU when it comes to our best/most hated rivals. I don't know anyone that looks forward to our games vs La Tech like they do with SMU and UTSA. 

SMU, sure.

UTSA, ...let me ask you if you are looking forward to our next game as much as you were looking forward to this Saturday.   Please answer honestly.

Edited February 28, 2022 by MeanGreenTexan

[UNTcrazy727]

17 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

SMU, sure.

UTSA, ...let me ask you if you are looking forward to our next game as much as you were looking forward to this Saturday.   Please answer honestly.

You really think La Tech was a top reason why people were pumped for the game Saturday? 

1. Chance to win division title.

2. Last home game of the year.

3. Senior Night.

4. Tie longest winning streak in program history.

(And finally!) 5. Playing La Tech.

There's just no dislike or animosity between the fan bases. Which is a pretty big component of great rivalries. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

15 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

You really think La Tech was a top reason why people were pumped for the game Saturday? 

1. Chance to win division title.

2. Last home game of the year.

3. Senior Night.

4. Tie longest winning streak in program history.

(And finally!) 5. Playing La Tech.

There's just no dislike or animosity between the fan bases. Which is a pretty big component of great rivalries. 

What made the game so great and had people looking forward to it, was that it was against LATech who is actually good at basketball and posed a formidable challenge to those things you mentioned (outside of celebrating the seniors & being the last home game).  So a crazy-rocking home court advantage was more necessary to have against LATech.   If it were UTSA, the crowd would definitely not have been in it like we were... because UTSA sucks at basketball & there would be no challenge.  

And go back to look at all of the times we've played the two schools since we joined C-USA.
When it comes to actual Football and Basketball stakes, the LATech rivalry has been way more important, mainly because LATech has been very good at both for their entire tenure.   It's not that way for UTSA, but it is for us.

As for the animosity, believe it or not, there are a ton of people who have zero towards UTSA, myself included.    I'm not going to let a handful of their new-to-ncaa-football fans goad me into thinking they're a "rival" of ours.

That seems to have been the case when some knuckleheads got on here and trolled the board into thinking there's a "rivalry".  If anything, it speaks more to our fans, LATech's fans, and UTSA's fans.

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

You really think La Tech was a top reason why people were pumped for the game Saturday? 

1. Chance to win division title.

2. Last home game of the year.

3. Senior Night.

4. Tie longest winning streak in program history.

(And finally!) 5. Playing La Tech.

There's just no dislike or animosity between the fan bases. Which is a pretty big component of great rivalries. 

2 and 3 have never made a difference in the past.

[Jonnyeagle]

I'm sorry but I have no interest in respecting or befriending LaTech.   These guys can seem nice and harmless when they are down sure.  They would kick us to the curb whenever they have the chance to.    I remember they conspired with SMUt to be against us being in the WAC and I also think they negatively recruited against us on many, many players over the years.  La Tech is no friend to UNT.  Leopards don't change their spots. 

[emmitt01]

42 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

What made the game so great and had people looking forward to it, was that it was against LATech who is actually good at basketball and posed a formidable challenge to those things you mentioned (outside of celebrating the seniors & being the last home game).  So a crazy-rocking home court advantage was more necessary to have against LATech.   If it were UTSA, the crowd would definitely not have been in it like we were... because UTSA sucks at basketball & there would be no challenge.  

And go back to look at all of the times we've played the two schools since we joined C-USA.
When it comes to actual Football and Basketball stakes, the LATech rivalry has been way more important, mainly because LATech has been very good at both for their entire tenure.   It's not that way for UTSA, but it is for us.

As for the animosity, believe it or not, there are a ton of people who have zero towards UTSA, myself included.    I'm not going to let a handful of their new-to-ncaa-football fans goad me into thinking they're a "rival" of ours.

That seems to have been the case when some knuckleheads got on here and trolled the board into thinking there's a "rivalry".  If anything, it speaks more to our fans, LATech's fans, and UTSA's fans.

Sorry, gonna have to beg to differ here.   I am pretty sure our 2013 football team would tell you they've got very vivid memories of playing UTSA that year.   And, as you alluded to above, the "Drive" is a pretty significant moment for anyone who has been around North Texas football in the last decade.  

Yes, we were pumped to play La Tech this Saturday...but it was because of the drama of our last game in Ruston and what we had to gain by winning the game (regardless of opponent) that night, not because anyone circles La Tech each year and says "If we can only win a few games this year, La Tech better be one of them."  They are up this year in basketball so, they were a draw.   UTSA was undefeated coming into last season's football game; you are deluding yourself if you don't think we get another 3-4k in attendance if we're not playing in a monsoon that afternoon.  

I am slightly annoyed by La Tech at times...I loathe UT-Sorta Almost

[GrandGreen]

I have always envied La Tech for their competitiveness on a limited budget. 

However, it appears that the two programs may be going in opposite directions.  I don't see any big advantages to NT for going out of their way to maintain a relationship with La Tech.  

They are relatively close and should remain a OC scheduling option in most sports.  However, I don't see an one-one series in football as a good strategy for NT.    I doh't want recruits to consider La Tech as an equal to NT.