North Texas Returns Home Looking to Build on Fast Start Against Charlotte

North Texas returns to DATCU Stadium this weekend with an opportunity to make an early statement in American Athletic Conference play.

The Mean Green welcome Charlotte to Denton after escaping Tulsa with a wild 45-44 overtime victory on Oct. 1. The win moved North Texas to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in AAC play, while Saturday's matchup gives UNT its first conference home game of the season.

After opening the year with convincing victories at home over UNLV, 44-6, and Houston Christian, 63-14, the Mean Green have quickly established DATCU Stadium as a difficult place for opponents to play.

Now, they have a chance to continue that trend against a Charlotte team coming off a 59-8 loss to Memphis.

A dynamic duo leading the offense

The biggest reason for North Texas' early success has been the combination of quarterback Tayven Jackson and running back Jahiem White.

The duo has emerged as one of the most productive quarterback-running back combinations in the country and has been a driving force behind a North Texas offense averaging 40.6 points per game, ranking among the nation's top 20 scoring offenses.

The offensive line deserves plenty of credit as well. Through five games, North Texas has allowed just four sacks, a mark that ranks 15th nationally. Giving Jackson time has allowed the Mean Green quarterback to distribute the ball effectively and keep defenses from simply keying on White.

Jackson has also shown a willingness to spread the football around.

North Texas has six receivers with at least 10 catches, while seven different players have found the end zone through the first five games. That balance makes the UNT offense much more difficult to defend and prevents opponents from simply focusing their attention on one or two playmakers.

Defense showing signs of becoming a strength

While the offense has grabbed most of the headlines, North Texas' defense has shown flashes of becoming one of the better units in the American.

It hasn't always been pretty. There have been stretches where the Mean Green defense has struggled to find consistency, but the unit came up with some of its biggest plays when North Texas needed them most against Tulsa.

Those late stops helped UNT preserve the overtime victory and secure its first conference win.

Two players leading the way have been safety CJ Coombs and linebacker Zayke Barker. The pair has combined for 82 tackles and three sacks through five games.

According to PFF, North Texas' defense currently ranks 52nd nationally with a grade of 82, one spot ahead of Oklahoma State. If the Mean Green can continue improving on that side of the ball, the defense could become an important factor as conference play progresses.

History favors Charlotte — but recent history belongs to UNT

Charlotte holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series, but North Texas owns the most recent meeting.

The Mean Green dominated the 49ers 54-20 last season, a game that became one of the most memorable offensive performances in recent UNT history.

Former North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker set records in that contest with a remarkable 608-yard performance.

Saturday's game obviously features a very different North Texas team, but the result serves as a reminder of what the Mean Green have been able to do against Charlotte.

An opportunity — but no room for complacency

Charlotte enters Denton at 0-5 following the 59-8 loss to Memphis.

On paper, the matchup presents North Texas with an excellent opportunity to move to 2-0 in AAC play before heading into its bye week and then preparing for Navy.

But the Mean Green know better than to overlook anyone.

College football has a way of punishing teams that assume the result before kickoff. North Texas learned that lesson last season, and Saturday presents another opportunity to show that this year's team is capable of handling the expectations that come with being favored.

The formula is relatively simple: continue protecting Jackson, get White and the running game going, spread the ball around and force Charlotte to earn every possession.

If North Texas can do that while avoiding the defensive lapses that have plagued it at times this season, the Mean Green should have an opportunity to put together another strong performance at home.

And with a bye week waiting on the other side, a convincing conference victory would provide even more momentum heading into the second half of the schedule.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at DATCU Stadium in Denton.With the forecast calling for ideal football weather, everything is lined up for North Texas to put on another show in front of its home crowd.

The challenge now is making sure the Mean Green take advantage of it.