Best Team Ever: (2) 2003 vs. (3) 2018

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 close out the first round with a matchup between the No. 2 seed 2003 team against the No. 3 seed 2018 team out of the Light the Tower Region. The winner will face the top-seeded 2013 squad, which narrowly edged the 2017 team in a vote earlier this week.

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2003 (2) vs. 2018 (3)

2003 – Coach Darrell Dickey – 9-4, 7-0 in Sun Belt Conference

Regular season losses were to No. 1 Oklahoma, Air Force, Arkansas… Defeated Baylor 52-14... Won eight straight games heading into bowl game… Had 10 first team all-conference selections and two second team… RB Patrick Cobbs led the nation in rushing with an average of 152.7 yards per game and was honorable mention All-America... Cobbs had 10 consecutive 100-yard rushing games...Cobbs was conference Offensive Player of the Year, DT Brandon Kennedy was conference Player of the Year and LB Chris Hurd was the Defensive Player of the Year... Darrel Dickey was conference Coach of the Year... Five players from this team signed as NFL free agents and three (Spencer, Cobbs, Awasom) had multiple year NFL careers ... Total defense ranked 21st nationally... the 358 points scored ranks fifth in North Texas history... Defense allowed 104.1 yards rushing per game, second best in school history… Seven players from this team currently in North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame.

Points Per Game: 27.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 21.9
Offensive Yards Per Game: 327.5
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 317.2
College Football Reference Power Rating: 68^th of 117 teams
All Conference Players: Nick Zuniga, OG (1st team); Andy Brewster, C (1st team); Scott Hall, QB (1st team); Patrick Cobbs, RB (1st team); Brandon Kennedy DL (1st team); Adrian Awasom DL (1st team); Cody Spencer, LB (1st team); Chris Hurd, LB (1st team); Craig Jones, DB (1st team); Jonas Buckles, DB (1st team); Taylor Casey, LB (2nd team); Brad Kadlubar, P (2nd team).

2018 – Coach Seth Littrell – 9-4, 5-3 in Conference USA

Won six of first seven games, including a 44-17 win at Arkansas… Three regular season losses came by average of 4.3 points per game… Had five first team all-conference players and 7 players made it to NFL camps as free agents… QB Mason Fine was conference Offensive Player of the Year... The 460.5 yards of total offense per game and 306.8 passing yards per game are both school records... The 450 points scored was second-best in school history, as was the 28 passing TDs... Fine's 3,793 passing yards and 3,813 yards of total offense are second-most in UNT history... WR Rico Bussey 12 receiving TDs ranks second in UNT history... LB EJ Ejiya set school record with 25 tackles for loss... CB Nate Brooks had more interceptions than any UNT player in last 38 years... Led conference in scoring and passing offense and interceptions...10 different individual ranked in the top 10 nationally in statistical categories.

Points Per Game: 34.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 24.2
Offensive Yards Per Game: 460.5
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 374.6
College Football Reference Power Rating: 72^nd of 130 teams
All-Conference Players: Rico Bussey, Jr., WR (1st team); Kemon Hall, CB (1st team); E.J. Ejiya, LB (1st team); Cole Hedlund, K (1st team); LaDarius Hamilton, DL (1st team); Mason Fine, QB (2nd team); Nate Brooks, CB (2nd team); DeAndre Torrey, RB (2nd team); Sosaia Mose, OL (honorable mention); Manase Mose, OL (honorable mention, freshman team); Brandon Garner, LB (honorable mention); Khairi Muhammad, S (honorable mention); Alvin Kenworthy, P (honorable mention); DeAndre Torrey, KR (honorable mention); Keegan Brewer, PR (honorable mention); Nate Durham, DS (honorable mention).

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Players Mentioned

Keegan Brewer

Nate Brooks

Rico Bussey, Jr.

Nate Durham

E.J. Ejiya

Mason Fine

Brandon Garner

Kemon Hall

LaDarius Hamilton

Cole Hedlund

Alvin Kenworthy

Manase Mose

Sosaia Mose

Khairi Muhammad

DeAndre Torrey

Upcoming Events

University of North Texas Athletics