1997 North Texas Mean Green football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1997 North Texas Mean Green football Big West Conference Big West 5–6 3–2 Matt Simon 4th Charlie Hall 1st Fred Bleil 2nd Fouts Field The 1997 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas, and competed in the Big West Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Matt Simon. The team finished the regular season with a 4–7 overall record with a 2–3 mark in Big West play. Simon was fired at the conclusion of the season. Schedule 1997 AP Central August 30 l y y Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN 12–29 38,281 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-vanderbilt-dumps-n/152133724/ The Commercial Appeal Vanderbilt dumps North Texas August 31, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 6 3:00 p.m. l y y Oregon State Parker Stadium Corvallis, OR 7–33 30,818 September 13 w y Indiana State Fouts Field Denton, TX 41–6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-wilburn-has-big-day/195229442/ The Odessa American Wilburn has big day for Nprth Texas September 14, 1997 April 9, 2026 Newspapers.com September 20 6:30 p.m. w y y Texas Tech Jones Stadium Lubbock, TX 30–27 43,620 September 27 2:30 p.m. l y y Texas A&M 22 Texas Stadium Irving, TX 10–36 42,224 October 4 5:00 p.m. l y Idaho Kibbie Dome Moscow, ID 17–30 10,270 October 18 l y y Boise State Fouts Field Denton, TX 14–17 15,047 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jbReAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BjAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2546%2C953477 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho wire services BSU capitalizes on miscues in 17-14 win October 19, 1997 5B October 25 l y Nevada Mackay Stadium Reno, NV 10–65 19,470 November 8 w y New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium Las Cruces, NM 26–15 November 15 l y y Army Michie Stadium West Point, NY 14–25 November 22 w Utah State Fouts Field Denton, TX 51–48 6,750 1997 North Texas Mean Green Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/north-texas/1997-schedule.html College Football at Sports-Reference.com Sports Reference August 14, 2025 1997 Football Schedule https://meangreensports.com/sports/football/schedule/1997 University of North Texas August 14, 2025 "Do you believe in the Mean Green?" September 2023 Despite a rough season in which North Texas failed to qualify for a bowl game, the 1997 team managed to pull of one of the signature wins in program history on the road over Texas Tech. The Mean Green led the Red Raiders 30-27 in the dying minutes at Jones Stadium in Lubbock. As a final desperation heave into the end zone was batted down incomplete by the North Texas secondary to secure the upset, play-by-play voice George Dunham exclaimed "Do you believe in the Mean Green?" The call became a rallying cry for Mean Green fans, and is still prominently used by the university to this day. References North Texas Category:North Texas Mean Green football seasons North Texas Mean Green football