Best Team Ever: (1) 1947 vs. (2) 1959
5/19/2020 10:00:00 AM | Football
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.Â
We open the quarterfinal round Tuesday, which pits the No. 1 seed 1947 team against the No. 2 seed 1959 team out of the Green and White Region.
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(1) 1947 – Coach Odus Mitchell – 10-2, 6-0 Lonestar Conference – Salad Bowl, L Nevada 13-6
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Second team in school history to earn a bowl bid… One of only 26 teams in the nation to play in a postseason bowl game… Only team in school history to win 10 games on the field in a season… 10 players from this team are in the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame... Beat Florida in Gainseville 20-12… Only regular season loss was 12-0 at Arkansas… Allowed 6.4 points per game, best ever by a North Texas team for 12 game season… Outscored opponents by an average of 14.9 points per game... Outscored Lonestar Conference opponents 145-27... Seven first team all-conference players… Fenton Whitlow was All-American tackle… Seven players from this team played in the NFL... Eight starters from this team served in WWII prior to this season.
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Points Per Game: 21.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.4
All Conference Players: A.D. Cate, G (1st team); Dick Lindsay, T (1st team); Richard Nutt, B (1st team); Jim Cooper, C (1st team); Bill Cromer, B (1st team); Joe Abbey, E (1st team); Felton Whitlow, G (1st team).
(2) 1959 – Coach Odus Mitchell – 9-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference – Sun Bowl, L N.M State 28-8
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Third bowl team in school history and one of only 18 teams nationally to play in a postseason bowl game… Won eight straight to start season, ranked No. 16 before losing to Tulsa 17-6… Beat Cincinnati, Houston and Louisville… School-record with only 581 passing yards allowed for the season, and only 9.4 points allowed per game… One of only two teams in school history to allow less than 2,000 yards on defense since NCAA started keeping stats... The 196.5 yards allowed by the defense is the best in school history... Three first team all-conference selections, two All-Americans and four eventual NFL draft picks… Seven players from this team are in the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame… Senior Abner Haynes led team and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring, ranked seventh nationally in rushing, and led the team in receiving and all-purpose yards.
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Points Per Game: 27.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.4
Offensive Yards Per Game: 337.9
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 196.5
College Football Reference Power Rating: 44th of 112 teams Â
All-Conference Players: Bill Carrico, G (1st team); George Herring, T (1st team); Abner Haynes, RB (1st team).
This is your chance to help decide if your team is the best Eagles/Mean Green team ever!
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(1) 1947 – Coach Odus Mitchell – 10-2, 6-0 Lonestar Conference – Salad Bowl, L Nevada 13-6
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Second team in school history to earn a bowl bid… One of only 26 teams in the nation to play in a postseason bowl game… Only team in school history to win 10 games on the field in a season… 10 players from this team are in the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame... Beat Florida in Gainseville 20-12… Only regular season loss was 12-0 at Arkansas… Allowed 6.4 points per game, best ever by a North Texas team for 12 game season… Outscored opponents by an average of 14.9 points per game... Outscored Lonestar Conference opponents 145-27... Seven first team all-conference players… Fenton Whitlow was All-American tackle… Seven players from this team played in the NFL... Eight starters from this team served in WWII prior to this season.
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Points Per Game: 21.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.4
All Conference Players: A.D. Cate, G (1st team); Dick Lindsay, T (1st team); Richard Nutt, B (1st team); Jim Cooper, C (1st team); Bill Cromer, B (1st team); Joe Abbey, E (1st team); Felton Whitlow, G (1st team).
(2) 1959 – Coach Odus Mitchell – 9-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference – Sun Bowl, L N.M State 28-8
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Third bowl team in school history and one of only 18 teams nationally to play in a postseason bowl game… Won eight straight to start season, ranked No. 16 before losing to Tulsa 17-6… Beat Cincinnati, Houston and Louisville… School-record with only 581 passing yards allowed for the season, and only 9.4 points allowed per game… One of only two teams in school history to allow less than 2,000 yards on defense since NCAA started keeping stats... The 196.5 yards allowed by the defense is the best in school history... Three first team all-conference selections, two All-Americans and four eventual NFL draft picks… Seven players from this team are in the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame… Senior Abner Haynes led team and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring, ranked seventh nationally in rushing, and led the team in receiving and all-purpose yards.
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Points Per Game: 27.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.4
Offensive Yards Per Game: 337.9
Defensive Yards Allowed Per Game: 196.5
College Football Reference Power Rating: 44th of 112 teams Â
All-Conference Players: Bill Carrico, G (1st team); George Herring, T (1st team); Abner Haynes, RB (1st team).
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