North Texas has confirmed that Tayven Jackson will take the helm as the starting quarterback for their upcoming season opener against the defending national champion Indiana. This announcement, initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, adds an interesting twist to the game as Jackson is a former Indiana player who transferred to North Texas.
Jackson, who has also played at UCF, secured the starting role over sophomores Chaston Ditta and Chris Jimerson Jr., as well as freshman Ziondre Williams. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined the Mean Green after six years at West Virginia, noted that Jackson's prior experience would be advantageous for the tough away game against Indiana.
In his last season at UCF, Jackson recorded impressive numbers, completing 63.5% of his passes for 2,151 yards, along with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. During his time at Indiana, he played in 13 games, throwing for 1,263 yards with a completion rate of 61.2%, totaling six touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson began his college 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, fresh off a perfect 16-0 season and their first national championship, will feature former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, following the exit of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL.
Further details on the matchup and team preparations remain unclear.
