University of North Texas Athletics
No. 95: NT Jumps To Division I-A
6/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
No. 95 - The Mean Green Jumps To Division I-A
In the early 1990's, the administration of North Texas had a decision to make, one that would shape the image of the university for years to come. NT had been to four NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs and was a staple in the national rankings since 1983, but it was at the lower, prestigious-free level of college football that did little to enhance the school's reputation nationwide.
Should the Mean Green stand pat and compete for the Southland Conference title each season, or should they make the commitment to rise up and battle the big boys in the NCAA's top flight Division I-A?
There were plenty of folks around town that advocated the downright demise of the North Texas athletic department all together, so an upgrade in budget, facilities and competition were out of the question to the detractors.
Luckily, the university community as a whole understood what such a move could do for the region and the school, and not just now, but in the future. Four Sun Belt championships and New Orleans Bowl appearances - which began just seven years after the jump - doubtlessly vaulted the image of the university, and helped lead to the rise in enrollment we are still seeing to this day.
The fall addition of the New Mean Green Stadium completes the full circle of the move to Division I-A, finally giving North Texas football a first-class facility to go with its top notch coaching staff led by Dan McCarney.
Previous Days and Schedule
| No. 100- | 100-yard fumble return for TD | No. 75- | Monday, June 27 | No. 50- | Friday, July 22 | No. 25 | Tuesday, August 16 |
| No. 99 | Fitzgerald Goes The Distance | No. 74- | Tuesday, June 28 | No. 49 | Saturday, July 23 | No. 24 | Wednesday, August 17 |
| No. 98 | Sears Woods' Stuns Knoxville | No. 73- | Wednesday, June 29 | No. 48 | Sunday, July 24 | No. 23 | Thursday, August 18 |
| No. 97- | NT Blows Out Decatur Baptist | No. 72- | Thursday, June 30 | No. 47 | Monday, July 25 | No. 22 | Friday, August 19 |
| No. 96- | 96 Years Of Football | No. 71- | Friday, July 1 | No. 46 | Tuesday, July 26 | No. 21 | Saturday, August 20 |
| No. 95- | The Jump To Division I-A | No. 70- | Saturday, July 2 | No. 45 | Wednesday, July 27 | No. 20 | Sunday, August 21 |
| No. 94- | Wednesday, June 8 | No. 69- | Sunday, July 3 | No. 44 | Thursday, July 28 | No. 19 | Monday, August 22 |
| No. 93- | Thursday, June 9 | No. 68- | Monday, July 4 | No. 43 | Friday, July 29 | No. 18 | Tuesday, August 23 |
| No. 92- | Friday, June 10 | No. 67- | Tuesday, July 5 | No. 42 | Saturday, July 30 | No. 17 | Wednesday, August 24 |
| No. 91- | Saturday, June 11 | No. 66- | Wednesday, July 6 | No. 41 | Sunday, July 31 | No. 16 | Thursday, August 25 |
| No. 90- | Sunday, June 12 | No. 65- | Thursday, July 7 | No. 40 | Monday, August 1 | No. 15 | Friday, August 26 |
| No. 89- | Monday, June 13 | No. 64- | Friday, July 8 | No. 39 | Tuesday, August 2 | No. 14 | Saturday, August 27 |
| No. 88- | Tuesday, June 14 | No. 63- | Saturday, July 9 | No. 38 | Wednesday, August 3 | No. 13 | Sunday, August 28 |
| No. 87- | Wednesday, June 15 | No. 62- | Sunday, July 10 | No. 37 | Thursday, August 4 | No. 12 | Monday, August 29 |
| No. 86- | Thursday, June 16 | No. 61- | Monday, July 11 | No. 36 | Friday, August 5 | No. 11 | Tuesday, August 30 |
| No. 85- | Friday, June 17 | No. 60- | Tuesday, July 12 | No. 35 | Saturday, August 6 | No. 10 | Wednesday, August 31 |
| No. 84- | Saturday, June 18 | No. 59- | Wednesday, July 13 | No. 34 | Sunday, August 7 | No. 9 | Thursday, September 1 |
| No. 83- | Sunday, June 19 | No. 58- | Thursday, July 14 | No. 33 | Monday, August 8 | No. 8 | Friday, September 2 |
| No. 82- | Monday, June 20 | No. 57- | Friday, July 15 | No. 32 | Tuesday, August 9 | No. 7 | Saturday, September 3 |
| No. 81- | Tuesday, June 21 | No. 56- | Saturday, July 16 | No. 31 | Wednesday, August 10 | No. 6 | Sunday, September 4 |
| No. 80- | Wednesday, June 22 | No. 55- | Sunday, July 17 | No. 30 | Thursday, August 11 | No. 5 | Monday, September 5 |
| No. 79- | Thursday, June 23 | No. 54- | Monday, July 18 | No. 29 | Friday, August 12 | No. 4 | Tuesday, September 6 |
| No. 78- | Friday, June 24 | No. 53- | Tuesday, July 19 | No. 28 | Saturday, August 13 | No. 3 | Wednesday, September 7 |
| No. 77- | Saturday, June 25 | No. 52- | Wednesday, July 20 | No. 27 | Sunday, August 14 | No. 2 | Thursday, September 8 |
| No. 76- | Sunday, June 26 | No. 51- | Thursday, July 21 | No. 26 | Monday, August 15 | No. 1 | Friday, September 9 |
