July 14, 2014

Every season has turning points and key plays that define success and failure. The 2013 North Texas football team faced long odds, but managed to make the plays that won nine games and let them lift the Heart of Dallas Bowl trophy on New Year’s Day.

MeanGreenSports.com is recapping the five moments that we think defined the resilient nature of last year’s Mean Green squad – and we want to hear from you. Let us know what moments/plays best defined the Mean Green.

• No. 2 - The Block Heard ‘Round Bulldog Land
If a 99-yard Brelan Chancellor kick return for a touchdown didn’t have the Georgia faithful squirming in their seats, Marcus Trice made it official early in the third quarter.

After the Bulldogs’ initial drive of the second half ended in a three-and-out, Trice burst through Georgia’s punt protection team and blocked the attempt back into the endzone. Zac Whitfield jumped on the swirling ball to tie the score at 21 and send shockwaves throughout Athens, Ga.

There North Texas was, tied with the No. 9 team in the country in the second half, on the road, with a frustrated Heisman Trophy hopeful in Aaron Murray staring on across the field. The entire nation was officially on upset alert.

As upper echelon teams tend to do, the Bulldogs collected their composure and won the game 45-21, but the effort showed Mean Green players, coaches and fans that North Texas wouldn’t back down from anyone. Not one for moral victories, coach Dan McCarney put things in perspective for his players after the game.

"This game hurts,” McCarney said. “There's lots good to take from this. If we can continue to improve and don't accept losing, we got a real chance to make a run in Conference USA."