UNT Looking To Push Win Streak To Four Games

DENTON – The UNT football team will look to win a fourth straight game on Saturday as it hits the road to play FIU after a dramatic home win over UTEP. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game can be seen on ESPN3 with the radio broadcast on KHYI 95.3/KNTU 88.1/Varsity Network App.

Head coach Seth Littrell and selected players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, the continued positive feeling of a winning streak, how the running game is hitting on all cylinders right now and how FIU could be a dangerous team despite its record.

Battle for bowl eligibility still on
The Mean Green's quest to return to a bowl game in 2021 is still very much alive after a third straight win last weekend. With two games left to play, and two wins needed to get to the magic number of six, UNT needs to win out to secure a postseason berth.

That mission starts Saturday in Miami against a one-win FIU team still looking for its first Conference USA win and dealing with a tumultuous week of staff turnover.

Littrell said with each win, the team gains that much more confidence and is riding high with momentum heading into Riccardo Silva Stadium on Saturday night.

"There's good momentum," Littrell said. "The team's feeling good. Any time you start putting together wins, confidence gets better and life around here gets a lot better. That's what winning does. Credit to our guys for how they've continued to work and get better and tried to focus on getting to 1-0 each week."

With their straight win, the Mean Green have their longest C-USA win streak since winning five straight in 2013. Their search for a third straight road win in conference would be the first since that same season.

UNT expects best from FIU squad
The Mean Green are favored to win Saturday's game, but Littrell and the UNT players know the Panthers' 1-9 record isn't a true indicator of what awaits them come kickoff.

"I definitely think they're a dangerous team," Littrell said. "We've been there. You want to dig yourself out of a hole and finish the right way. Coach (Butch) Davis does an unbelievable job and is a dang good football coach. Those guys will be wanting to go out the right way and will give us their best."

Freshman running back Isaiah Johnson, who has come on as of late and is second on the team in touchdowns this season, said he was part of some teams in high school that had fallen on tough times, and at the FBS college level, a team like FIU is definitely one to keep your guard up against.

"I've definitely been there in high school and had the same stuff, and once you have nothing to lose, you become a dog," Johnson said. "That brings that mentality out. You have to respect them. They have dudes. Their secondary is really fast. You can't just look at their record and think, 'this is a walk in the park.' They're still a DI football team and they're still good. You have to respect them."

Running game beginning to fully jell
For the first time since a loss to Missouri on Oct. 9, UNT threw for more yards than it rushed for in Saturday's win over UTEP.

But that doesn't take away from the fact the UNT running game has been what has made the offense go for the better part of the season.

UNT leads C-USA and ranks 14th nationally in rushing offense with an average of 223.3 yards per game.

With seemingly all their backs healthy and all but one having at least one 100-yard game (that one being Ayo Adeyi, whose high is 99 yards), there is a lot of confidence in the Mean Green ground attack heading into the final two games of the regular season.

"Just getting everyone involved (in the running game) has been the biggest key," Johnson said. "The running backs, as a group, are starting to take over and our line has really stepped up. The receivers are making plays when they have to and opening up everything an keeping the defense on their toes."

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Ayo Adeyi

Isaiah Johnson

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