Off Season Discussion: At What Moment Did You Think....

[UNTLifer]

This season could/would be special?

Mine: The comeback against Ball State.

[Green Lantern]

Pick six against La Tech.

[JKvsHimself]

I would say the Ball St. game, but the Rice game just felt special for me.

Something about that game made me a true believer in coach Mac, his staff, and the players.

[emmitt01]

Rice game.

[LongJim]

Ball State, and not close. Expected to beat Rice after that. One of the most satisfying wins I have ever seen UNT get.

[North Texas Shep]

Ball State was greatness! I believe one of the Brelan returns my wife looked at me and we both new this team was special. It was a great game for the team, university, and the fans.

[TheWestie]

When Big Ol Alex Lincoln reached up and blocked that pass to seal the win against Ball State, that's when I knew them dudes were serious.

2nd place: "The Stand"

[BIG DAWG]

The STAND

[Eppie96]

Rice game. Watching on Halloween night on TV. The stand...I knew our defense was something special after that

[Mean Green 93-98]

Could be? Idaho. Even though they weren't a good team and we knew they weren't a good team, we have rarely started a season on such an impressive note.

Would be? Rice. We had locked up 6-6, and had won 4 games in a row, with the next 3 games almost guaranteed wins.

[Dr. Seuss]

Ball State.. Without the comeback win against Ball State, who knows if this team would of brought back the old mentality of losing.

[greenminer]

We were 3-1 in conference, at 5 wins and smoking hot, and some of you guys needed Rice to know this team was different?

I thought I was a skeptic! Anyways...

Ball State peaked my interest, Georgia was the spike in my Green Koolaid

Edited January 22, 2014 by greenminer

[Stix]

Pick six against La Tech.

This. Until that point, I knew we could win at home, but I didn't know if we could win on the road. With the LA Tech win, it seemed that this year could be special.

The Rice game sealed it!

[JesseMartin]

Could be? Idaho. Even though they weren't a good team and we knew they weren't a good team, we have rarely started a season on such an impressive note.

Would be? Rice. We had locked up 6-6, and had won 4 games in a row, with the next 3 games almost guaranteed wins.

You stole mine. Even when we've used FCS teams as tune-ups, it's rarely been that decisive. I was still nervous with every game (and obviously for good reason since we didn't seal the deal against Tulane and UTSA), but I thought if we could squeeze past Rice we'd be golden. Even with our 2 or 3 "wtf" losses, I'm still super happy with how everything turned out.

[NM Green]

Definitely La Tech. We have struggled against them since I have followed the program in '86. Going into Ruston on that cold day that warmed up brilliantly and breaking through the wall of those teams we usually lose to was the sign. I felt at that point we were going to hit six but I was still scared of the old UNT showing up in Hattiesburg. The 41-7 halftime lead in front of another homecoming bummer told me not only were we going bowling, but this team was one of the best I had ever seen in my time following the Mean Green. I called back to Texas and said, "We never go up 41-7 on anyone, even an 19 game losing streak team!" This team was on a mission and I was pumped to get bowl eligible at that point.

I know the STAND was up there with the Miracle in the Desert for me, but I didn't appreciate the Rice win until about a month later when I realized who we beat. The next nervousness was waiting on the bowl announcement and hoping I wouldn't have to break the news to the family that I was going to be in Honolulu on the most special day of the year.

It all worked out amazingly. All the way down to that freaky 76 degree weather day for the Bowl Game!

What I love is that we also left goals to shoot for in 2014. This year I hope this team contends for the West, conference championship and one of the most shocking wins in our history down in Austin in a few short months. Lots of goals - go get'em Mean Green!!!!!

GMG

[UNT 90 Grad]

Georgia.

[casual fan]

I agree about Georgia.

Playing a top SEC team on the road is the hardest way to ever get a win.

When we tied it 21 - 21 it opened some eyes.

We came pretty close of blocking the next punt. We nearly put Georgia in a hole.

The team had to know they could stand up to anybody after that game.

[forevereagle]

I have to agree with 97and03 here. I don't think I really knew anything for sure about the team until Rice. They were great against Ball State and had a good game against Georgia, but the Ohio and Tulane games were befuddling to me. When we played Rice and had the game we did against a good team, I knew that we had emerged and were ready to make a great run.

[meangreener]

Louisiana Tech. I was sitting at a bar outside of the AAC wearing my Chancellor jersey after we had won, waiting for some friends so we could go to the Deftones concert and we had just won on the road in big fashion and some dude goes "I hear y'all are having one hell of a season up there. Looks like TCU has some competition."

I can't say Ball State because while that was a great win, I got so angry watching them lose to Tulane while I was at the Canned Fest hiding from the rain sitting at Rusty Taco, so I proceeded to get so drunk that night that I don't remember anything past 7. I decided the team was cursed.

Rice, I already knew what we had. Talked a lot of smack at work. Won a bet that we'd win by two touchdowns.

Edited January 22, 2014 by meangreener

[Green P1]

Rice Rice Rice.

The Ball St win was nice but as 100% gassed as that team was from the Texas heat... I'm convinced Denton Ryan could have came back on them.

[MeanGreenTexan]

After a roller-coaster OOC, and a turd dropping of a C-USA opener @ Tulane, the way we bounced back and handled MT at home... That's probably where I started thinking it was going to be special.

I thought it COULD be special after the Ball St. win, but then Tulane happened and it turned sour again.

I knew it WAS special when we hit 6 by beating Rice.

[SilverEagle]

I agree with Texan. The Ball St. win made me go hmmmmm. But the Rice win was the clincher for me.

[rws69]

THE STAND against Rice on October 31 clinched it, but getting a road win in Rustin was huge.