Best Team Ever: (1) 2002 vs. (4) 1983

DENTON - There have been many great football teams in North Texas history and now is the time to decide which one is the all-time best. Over the next several weeks, fans will have a chance to weigh in with their opinions, observations, memories as we pit the best teams in school history against each other in a 16-team bracket, presented by Dos Equis. The teams have been broken up into four "regions" based on era and seeded 1-4 within those "regions". Winners of each matchup will be decided by a combination of social media voting and a special committee of UNT alums from each era dating back to the 1950's.

This is your chance to help decide if your team is the best Eagles/Mean Green team ever!

We continue with our third matchup, which pits the No. 1 seed 2002 team against the No. 4 seed 1983 team out of the Scrappy Region. Last week saw the top two seeds of the Green & White Region (1947 and 1959) advance to the regional final.

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2002 – Coach Darrell Dickey – 8-5, 6-0 in Sun Belt Conference

Losses were to No. 4 Texas, Alabama, TCU, Arizona and South Florida… Outscored conference opponents 159-59… Had 10 first team all-conference selections and six second team… DT Brandon Kennedy was 3rd team All-American, conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year... Darrell Dickey was conference Coach of the Year... One of only three bowl championship teams in school history... Ranks sixth for most rushing yards in a season by a North Texas team with 2,372... Kennedy had 24 TFL, ranking second all-time and 10 sacks, the best since that year... Team had 45 sacks, best in North Texas history still a Sun Belt Conference record... Ranked 3rd nationally in scoring defense and 9th nationally in total defense… Five players from this team signed as NFL free agents and three (Spencer, Cobbs, Awasom) had multiple year NFL careers… Seven players from this team currently in North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame.

Points Per Game: 19.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 14.8
Offensive Yards Per Game: 284.5
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 287.2
College Football Reference Power Rating: 63^rd of 117 teams
All Conference Players: J.R. Randle, OT (1st team); Nick Zuniga, OG (1st team); Jeff Muenchow, TE (1st team); Kevin Galbreath, RB (1st team); Brandon Kennedy, DL (1st team); Darrell Daniels, DL (1st team); Taylor Casey, LB (1st team); Cody Spencer, LB (1st team); Craig Jones, DB (1st team); Don McGee, DB (1st team); Matt Turney, OL (2nd team); Adrian Awasom, DL (2nd team); Chris McIver, DL (2nd team); Jonas Buckles, DB (2nd team); Brad Kadlubar, P (2nd team); Ja'Mel Branch, ST (2nd team).

1983 – Coach Corky Nelson – 8-4, 5-1 in Southland Conference

First year competing in Div. I-AA… Two losses were to No. 2 Texas and Oklahoma State… Six first team all-conference selections… QB Gret Carter was conference Offensive Player of the Year and Coach Corky Nelson was Coach of the Year… LB Ronnie Hickman and DT Rayfird Cooks were first team Div. I-AA All-Americans... The 247.5 yards allowed per game by the defense is the fifth-best in school history despite playing 3 Div. I-A opponents... Led the Southland in scoring defense at 10.3 ppg... Finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in Div. I-AA.

Points Per Game: 23.0
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.4
Offensive Yards Per Game: 291.3
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 247.5
College Football Reference Power Rating: NA
All-Conference Players: Greg Carter, QB (1st team); Dan Reeder, OG (1st team); Ronnie Hickman, LB (1st team); Rayford Cooks, DT (1st team); Lester Harper, LB (1st team); John Starnes, P (1st team); Tim Wasson, (2nd team); Cederick Nelson (2nd team); Jay Saad, LB (2nd team); Andre Mosley (2nd team).

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Best Team Ever: (1) 2002 vs. (4) 1983

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