Conference USA Lead On The Line Against UTSA

DENTON – The UNT football team will look to score its ninth straight Conference USA win as it travels south to play rival UTSA at the Alamodome on Saturday, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. The game can be seen on Stadium with the radio broadcast on KHYI 95.3/KXXN 97.5 (Wichita Falls)/The Varsity Network.

Head coach Seth Littrell and selected players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, the history of the ever-intensifying rivalry with the Roadrunners, close ties between players on both teams and what makes UTSA's dynamic quarterback so dangerous.

A walk down memory lane
No one has played more games for the Mean Green than senior center Manase Mose.

Mose, who stepped into the program out of Euless Trinity as a Day 1 starter, has never missed a game and will make his 56th straight appearance (all starts) on Saturday. There is perhaps no one more qualified to talk about the history between the two programs, who will meet for the 10th time in series history, with the Mean Green holding a 5-4 advantage.

Mose pointed to last year's game, which saw UNT pull off a 45-23 stunner over the then-15th ranked Roadrunners at Apogee Stadium, as the game that took the rivalry to another level, but the 2017 meeting at Apogee will always hold a special place in Mose's heart.

Then a freshman, Mose was blocking for Mean Green great Mason Fine and fellow all-time program greats like Jeffery Wilson, Jalen Guyton and Jaelon Darden, who are all playing in the NFL now. He was on the field for one of the greatest drives in program history, known quite simply as "The Drive," when UNT marched 98 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 1:07 to play and no timeouts.

"I say that still ranks up there in the top 3 games for me, with Mason Fine and a lot of those old vets," Mose said. "That's still a top-3 game for me. Me coming in as a freshman and looking at the older guys and seeing what they did just pushed me to have that drive when it was my opportunity to be out there."

Mose easily recounted each of the four times he's played against UTSA: The Drive, a road win in 2018, a 45-3 thrashing in 2019, a tough loss in 2020 and then last year's game that gave the Mean Green bowl eligibility along with their second win in program history over a Top-25 team.

"Coming back last year after 2020 and having that great game against them was huge," Mose said. "Going into it this year it's more of a rivalry. We're both in Texas and they're right there. It was a joy for us to win that game and get into the bowl game. We had to fight through a lot of adversity and had them at the end in the last game and knew we had to get it to become bowl eligible."

Connections run deep with Wood, UTSA
Junior linebacker Kevin Wood came into the season as a key part of the Mean Green's linebacking corps but was injured in the season-opening win against UTEP.

He made his return to action in Saturday's win over Louisiana Tech when he had 11 tackles after missing five games.

Now, he heads back to his hometown to play one of UNT's biggest rivals and he'll be looking at some familiar faces on the Alamodome turf.

Wood, who played at Converse Judson, one of San Antonio's premier high school football programs, grew up with UTSA star safety Rashad Wisdom, who also attended Judson. Wood said the two have been good friends since middle school and talk often - except for this week.

"I know a lot of those guys, being from down there," Wood said. "Rashad Wisdom is one of my best friends. I played against (UTSA quarterback) Frank Harris a lot. I love a lot of those guys. But come Saturday it's different. Wisdom and I go way back. We don't talk much during the week but otherwise we talk a lot."

Wood said he even remembers UTSA coaches recruiting him at Judson and talking about the rivalry between UTSA and UNT. Now, he's on the other side.

"I heard about (the rivalry) before I ever came here," Wood said. "Being from San Antonio, their coaches would come recruit me a lot and I heard about it then. UTSA week, we work a little harder and lock in a little more. We have to play well."

UNT looking to contain Harris
UNT head coach Seth Littrell is no stranger to UTSA senior quarterback Frank Harris or his talents on the football field.

Littrell, in the midst of his seventh season at the helm for the Mean Green, praised Harris on Tuesday and said any time he's the opponent, the Mean Green have their hands full.

"He's extremely smart and manages the game so well," Littrell said. "I feel like he's been around as long as I have. He has a lot of experience, and their coaching staff does a great job with him. He understands how to get the ball to his playmakers. He takes his shots but does a great job of making quick throws to get the ball in playmakers' hands to go make plays."

Harris has accounted for 7,593 yards and 57 passing touchdowns and is one of just 15 active FBS quarterbacks to have more than 7,000 passing yards and more than 1,000 rushing yards. He's 1-3 in his career against UNT.

"He's just really good at extending plays with his legs," Wood said. "That's a big focus for us, is to corral him and not let him get loose."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Manase Mose

Kevin Wood

Upcoming Events