A look at UNT’s key games of 2013 — Part II, Idaho

[Harry]

We began a blog series this week looking at some of the key games in UNTs 2013 season.

There are a host of games that could make or break the Mean Greens year, just like there is in any season.

We started out with UNTs game against UTSA, or as we have decided to call it, the UNT-Fans-Wing-Zone-Green-Koolaid-Suicide-Pact game.

We fear a host of UNT fans will gather in the stands at Apogee and elect to leave this mortal coil if the Mean Green (celebrating year 100 of its football program) falls to UTSA (celebrating year three of its football program).

That brings us to No. 2 in our countdown:

Idaho at UNT, Aug. 31, Apogee Stadium

That game might not sound all that interesting, but its historic for UNT in several ways 1. UNT is opening at home, 2. UNT is PAYING a guarantee to get the Vandals to come to town and 3. UNT is making a big deal out of it because it is the first game in its 100th anniversary season.

Opening at home, and paying to do it, are departures from the path UNT has followed for more than a decade.

UNT hasnt opened at home since 2001.

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/07/a-look-at-unts-key-games-of-2013-part-ii-idaho.html/

[UNT90]

Let's hope we pay to open the season at home next year, also. Still a game to fill.

Idaho should be the most important game on Vito's list. Lose that in front of a big opening day crowd and you won't have any more big crowds. It would also kill the confidence of the team.

Lose that game, and I think we are looking at 3 wins, tops.

[Harry]

Good article.

Interesting factoids about the 2001 opener

Game was a 19-5 loss to TCU who was in C-USA at the time.

Our non conference slate that year was TCU, @Oklahoma, Texas Tech @Irving Stadium, @ South Florida - no walk in the park

Tech's QB was Kliff Kingsbury and they had Wes Welker at WR.

You could make the argument that this game against Idaho is similar to the 2001 game against TCU except we are TCU and Idaho is North Texas...

[KRAM1]

  On 7/18/2013 at 9:43 PM, UNT90 said:

Lose that game, and I think we are looking at 3 wins, tops.

Basketball or football? Is my bet looking even better?

[BillySee58]

For sure we have to win, but to me our offense has to score 40+ this game. Let's see some big plays. Long completions, break some big runs, receivers taking short passes for big gains after the catch, and most importantly getting the ball in the endzone when we get in the red zone.

These guys return just 3 starters from a defense that have up 42 points a game and almost 500 yards a game. Our offense has plenty of experience under it's belt and 5 guys who are entering their third straight year as starters. We have them outclassed in talent, speed, experience, and are playing at home while they are playing 2000 miles away from home. This has to be a big day for our offense.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

  On 7/18/2013 at 9:43 PM, UNT90 said:

Let's hope we pay to open the season at home next year, also. Still a game to fill.

Idaho should be the most important game on Vito's list. Lose that in front of a big opening day crowd and you won't have any more big crowds. It would also kill the confidence of the team.

Lose that game, and I think we are looking at 3 wins, tops.

I was concerned about the Idaho gave several months ago, but the more and more I think about it, we are not losing that game. If for no other reason than the Arkansas loss to ULM last year. Paul Petrino single handed lost a 28-7 lead by the refusal to run the football. Now he is a head coach?

1-0 to start the season.

[ragpicker]

We had better win this game because we just might get a little extra DFW media coverage for our one hundredth year of football. Of course, that might depend on whether someone around here actually REMINDS the major media stations of that fact.

[UNT 90 Grad]

  On 7/19/2013 at 1:07 AM, ragpicker said:

We had better win this game because we just might get a little extra DFW media coverage for our one hundredth year of football. Of course, that might depend on whether someone around here actually REMINDS the major media stations of that fact.

It's actually our 101st year of football, but who's counting.

[GrayEagle]

Key game? If we can't beat Idaho then there are no key games.

To me, key games are the ones that are fairly even but in winning it can launch you into a winning program or in losing can launch another downward spiral. Whoever we face that could be our sixth win would be a key game as well.

[FirefightnRick]

  On 7/18/2013 at 9:55 PM, Harry said:

Good article.

Interesting factoids about the 2001 opener

Game was a 19-5 loss to TCU who was in C-USA at the time.

Our non conference slate that year was TCU, @Oklahoma, Texas Tech @Irving Stadium, @ South Florida - no walk in the park

Tech's QB was Kliff Kingsbury and they had Wes Welker at WR.

You could make the argument that this game against Idaho is similar to the 2001 game against TCU except we are TCU and Idaho is North Texas...

FirefightnhonorarytechteamcaptainRick

Rick

Edited July 19, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[UNT90]

  On 7/18/2013 at 10:44 PM, KRAM1 said:

Basketball or football? Is my bet looking even better?

Your bet is a doomed bet. But everyone wins with a donation to the scholarship fund. Oh, and it was $50 (just to remind)

[akriesman]

I agree with 90, Idaho is one of the most critical games we have had in many years. UTSA would be more important if they were our home opener. But, they are not.

[MeanGreenTexan]

  On 7/19/2013 at 2:03 PM, akriesman said:

I agree with 90, Idaho is one of the most critical games we have had in many years. UTSA would be more important if they were our home opener. But, they are not.

Idaho is VERY important. It's the most important game on the schedule right now... because it's the first game.

Lose that game and then go to Ohio and win, and I think we'll be OK... especially if we beat Ball St. at home the next weekend.

UTSA might not be such a critical game to win if by some wild stretch of the imagination they come to Denton with like 1 or 2 losses in C-USA (5 or 4 wins). But it will still hurt if we lose, especially on the recruiting trail.