North Texas hasn't entered a season with higher expectations in years.
The Mean Green won the Conference USA West Division title last season on their way to a 9-5 campaign. UNT capped their season with a loss to Troy in the New Orleans Bowl, one of the few dark moments in a year that represented yet another step forward for the program under coach Seth Littrell.
The former North Carolina offensive coordinator took over a 1-11 team after the 2015 season and has quickly vaulted it forward. UNT finished 5-8 in Littrell's first season before falling just short of the 10-win mark in 2017.