North Texas has confirmed that Tayven Jackson will serve as the starting quarterback for their season opener against Indiana, the defending national champions. This announcement, initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, adds a layer of excitement as Jackson is a former player for Indiana who has now transferred to North Texas.
Jackson secured the starting role after competing against sophomores Chaston Ditta and Chris Jimerson Jr., as well as freshman Ziondre Williams. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined the Mean Green after a six-year tenure at West Virginia, noted that Jackson's prior experience would be vital for the tough away game against Indiana.
In his last season at UCF, Jackson posted impressive numbers, completing 63.5% of his passes for a total of 2,151 yards, with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His time at Indiana featured 13 games, during which he accumulated 1,263 passing yards and completed 61.2% of his attempts, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson began his collegiate career at Tennessee in 2022.
The season opener is set for noon ET on September 5, marking Jackson's first game in the American Conference after competing in the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. Indiana, coming off a perfect 16-0 season and their first national championship, will be under the guidance of former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover after the departure of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL.
Details regarding the game and team preparations remain unclear.