Army vs. North Texas Prediction, Heart Of Dallas Bowl Preview

Army vs. North Texas prediction and Heart of Dallas Bowl Bowl preview. Projecting who wins between the Black Knights and Mean Green at the Cotton Bowl.

Army vs. North Texas Heart of Dallas Bowl Preview

When: Tuesday, Dec. 27 – Noon ET
Where: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, Texas.
TV Broadcast: ESPN

What a year for Army, which is heading to its first bowl game in six years. In fact, it’s just the Black Knights’ third postseason contest since 1988. They went just 2-10 last year and head into the Dallas Bowl after their best season of three under coach Jeff Monken.

North Texas, on the other hand, went just 5-7 but gets a bowl bid via an APR rating that is the best among Group of Five schools. If there weren’t more bowl games than could be filled by six-win teams, the Mean Green would be watching the postseason from home.

Want more evidence that there are too many bowl games? These teams already met in the regular season.

What To Know About Army

The Black Knights started 3-0 but dropped five of their next eight heading into the annual matchup with Navy. They do own victories over AAC champion Temple and ACC foe Wake Forest, but they also lost to Buffalo and Duke.

That’s not even mentioning that Army got waxed by North Texas, 35-18, on Oct. 22. It fumbled seven times in that contest and lost three of them.

What To Know About North Texas

North Texas is going bowling despite dropping four of its final five games following the win over Army. All of the losses in that stretch came by double digits as it finished just 3-5 in Conference USA. Jeffrey Wilson, who rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns against the Black Knights is the best player for a Mean Green unit that finished dead last in the conference in total offense.

Advantages

Offense: Army – You know it is going to run the ball nearly every play, yet still finished second in the nation in rushing yards per game.

Defense: Army – The Black Knights have one of the better units in the country, while North Texas allows six yards per play.

Special Teams: Army – North Texas has the worst kickoff coverage in Conference USA.

Coaching: Army – Monken deserves credit for a solid improvement from last season.

Intangibles: North Texas – It has won a Heart of Dallas Bowl previously, beating UNLV in the 2013 season.

Matchup To Watch

Army’s rushing attack vs. North Texas’ defense

The Black Knights don’t hide the fact that they are driven by their running game. That could be bad news for a North Texas team that finished 12th in the conference in rush defense.

Betting Odds

Spread: No line as of post
Over/Under: No line as of post