DENTON — The stage is set for one of the biggest nights in North Texas football history. The undefeated Mean Green (5-0) welcomes No. 24 South Florida to DATCU Stadium on Friday night in a nationally televised showdown on ESPN2 — a matchup dripping with American Athletic Conference title implications and the kind of spotlight Denton has been waiting for.

For head coach Eric Morris, the message is simple: you’ve earned this moment — now seize it.

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“I told the kids this week that we’ve earned the right to be on this stage,” Morris said. “But just like anything in life, you have to seize the opportunities when they’re there.”

This marks only the fifth time in program history that UNT has hosted an AP Top 25 opponent, and the Mean Green aren’t just happy to be here. Riding the program’s best start since 1959, North Texas is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls for the first time since 2018. The atmosphere at DATCU Stadium is expected to be electric, with fewer than 7,000 tickets remaining earlier in the week.

The opponent, however, is no pushover. Head coach Alex Golesh’s South Florida Bulls have been one of the nation’s breakout stories, with marquee wins over Boise State and Florida behind dynamic dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown. But the Mean Green have had two weeks to rest, reload, and get ready for what Morris called “the fastest and most complete team” they’ve faced this season.

If North Texas is going to pull off the upset, it may come on the ground.

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Behind Caleb Hawkins and Makenzie McGill II, UNT’s running back room has become a force. Hawkins has exploded for 239 rushing yards and six touchdowns in his last two games, while McGill continues to shine with 318 yards and four scores of his own. The Mean Green have piled up 16 rushing touchdowns, making life easier for freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker and the passing game.

“We love to throw the ball,” said receiver Tre Williams III, “but getting that run game established early puts you in control.”

If the Mean Green can control tempo, feed off the crowd, and keep their composure under the national spotlight, Friday night in Denton could mark the moment North Texas truly arrives on the college football map.