The national sports magazines are hitting the stands as football fans are starting to get ready for the next season. Until the first kick-off, almost all college sports fans believe their team is going to go undefeated, winning their respective conference title, headed to a bowl and winning the mythical BCS National Championship. What is so exciting about a new season is everyone is starting out undefeated. What is exciting about the magazines is they give football fans the hope their team has improved enough to end the season at the top.  

North Texas Fans are much the same way. While most are not expecting an undefeated season, a lot of fans are looking for a winning season and a possible bowl bid.  Head Coach Todd Dodge and his coaching staff are under the gun this season and he has some players on the team which could make a winning season a possibility. What he has in his arsenal is one of the top ten players in the nation and one of the national 'sleepers to watch' ready to make his move.

Eagletalk.net has had a working relationship with Athlon’s Sports in the past and it is one of the first magazines we look for when it hits the store selves. So we contacted them a few week back before their magazine hit the selves to get some early thought about North Texas. As pointed out earlier, they expected North Texas to have a better season this year then they have had in the past three years . They expect Lance Dunbar will have great year and lead North Texas to more wins this season.

OK, that was the advanced information but what do they really say in their in the store editions? Here is an overview of what they have to say about North Texas and some of the players.

On the ‘Back Page,’ where they project upcoming bowl participates, they do not expect North Texas to be in a bowl this year. In other words, North Texas will not end the season with an even or winning record.

North Texas gets a plug in the “Sleepers to Watch” section. They mention Tyler Stradford, WR, with the comment “Oklahoma transfer could emerge as Mean Green’s best receiver.”  Stradford is only one of six receivers mentioned in this area and one of only nineteen total players mentioned for all positions which says volumes on what they think of him. This is pretty elite territory for anyone and for North Texas to get a player mentioned is something else. You should see what other players he is in company with.

In their  “2010 College Fantasy Football Mock Draft” North Texas gets mentioned in the top 84 players section. Sitting at #12 of the best player in the mock draft is none other than Lance Dunbar, RB, North Texas. He is right there with some big time players from other big name schools.

In their top 150 players in the section, looky at #17 from North Texas. Yep, it is none other than that little old running back Lance Dunbar and he is ranked ahead of some very noticeable and high profile players.

When selecting their top 75 running backs in College Fantasy Football there at #8 is Lance Dunbar. You should see whom he beats out.

OK, enough of Dunbar, what about other North Texas players. Seems Athlon’s already knows who the starting quarterback for North Texas will be next year, he is Derek Thompson. Why? Because of the top 75 quarterbacks in the College Fantasy Football he is rated #65. They must think a lot about his talents to rank him in the middle of the pack of FBS teams and he hasn’t even played a down, or officially named a starter.

Of the top 75 wide receivers in the College Fantasy Football #70 is Tyler Stradford. He is ranked that high and hasn't played a down for North Texas. Then when you figure most FBS teams carry about four active wide receivers and there are 120 FBS teams it means there was about 480 receivers which Athlons could choose from. Stradford is rarefied air at his position.

Well, no surprise, the #1 coach on the hot seat is Todd Dodge. Athlons basically states, “defense has been the big problem in Denton. The Mean Green have ranked 112^th, 119^th and 119^th in the nation in scoring defense the past three seasons.”  They mentioned he has only won five games in his three years going 5-31, 2-20.

As a result of the defense they predict Dodge’s team is the #115 team in the nation.

When it comes to ranking the best coaching jobs from “First to Worst,” North Texas lands at #96 with the statement, “good for the league, but No. 9 in the state."

They predict Troy to be the winner of the Sun Belt Conference with North Texas coming in at #7 ahead of #8 Florida International and #9 Western Kentucky. This indicates Athlon’s does expect North Texas to win a minimum of three and possibly more games this season. So, true to their early forecast, they are expecting North Texas to improve this year and put more W's in the win column. 

Breaking down each unit in the SBC they rank North Texas running back position #1. Wide receivers/tight ends both come in at #2. Linebackers are the fifth best in the conference with the defensive line and defensive backs at #7. The quarterback position is #8.

Recruiting ratings in the SBC finds North Texas at #6.

To summarize, Athlon believes North Texas fans will have more to cheer about this season as they are expecting more wins. As they point out, North Texas fans will have the opportunity to see one of the best running backs in the nation in Lance Dunbar. They will also bear witness to the emergence of one of the best wide receivers in nation in Tyler Stradford. 

In other words, there are a lot of good reasons to see North Texas play this season. Fans will get to see the curtain close on Fouts Field, every game they will get to see a couple of the best players not only in the Sun Belt Conference but the best players in the nation and they will also be appreciated by the team on the field.