North Texas has announced that Tayven Jackson will be the starting quarterback for their season opener against Indiana, the defending national champion. This announcement, initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, adds excitement to the game since Jackson previously played for Indiana before transferring to North Texas.
Jackson, who has also played at UCF, surpassed sophomores Chaston Ditta and Chris Jimerson Jr., along with freshman Ziondre Williams, for the starting role. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined the Mean Green after six seasons at West Virginia, noted that Jackson's experience will be crucial for the upcoming away game against Indiana.
In his final season at UCF, Jackson completed 63.5% of his passes, accumulating 2,151 yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. During his time at Indiana, he played in 13 games, throwing for 1,263 yards and achieving six touchdowns against six interceptions. His college career began at Tennessee in 2022.
The season opener is set for noon ET on September 5, which will mark Jackson's first game in the American Conference after competing in the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC. Indiana, coming off a flawless 16-0 season and their inaugural national championship, will be directed by former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, following the exit of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL.
Details regarding the game and the teams' preparations remain unclear.
