North Texas has confirmed that Tayven Jackson will be the starting quarterback for their season opener against defending national champion Indiana. This announcement, which was first reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel, adds a unique twist to the game, as Jackson previously played for Indiana before transferring to North Texas.
Jackson, who has also played at UCF, secured the starting position after outperforming sophomores Chaston Ditta and Chris Jimerson Jr. and freshman Ziondre Williams. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined the Mean Green after six seasons at West Virginia, emphasized that Jackson's experience will be crucial for the upcoming road challenge against Indiana.
In his last season at UCF, Jackson completed 63.5% of his passes for 2,151 yards, recording 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He previously played 13 games at Indiana, throwing for 1,263 yards with a completion rate of 61.2%, along with 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 will be led by former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, following the departure of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL. Further details about the game and team preparations remain unspecified.
