North Texas has confirmed that Tayven Jackson will lead the team as the starting quarterback in their season opener against defending national champions Indiana. This announcement, initially reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, adds an interesting dynamic to the game, as Jackson is a former player for Indiana who recently transferred to North Texas.
In the competition for the starting role, Jackson outperformed sophomores Chaston Ditta and Chris Jimerson Jr. as well as freshman Ziondre Williams. New head coach Neal Brown, who joined North Texas after six seasons at West Virginia, emphasized that Jackson's prior experience would be advantageous for the tough away game against Indiana.
During his previous season at UCF, Jackson completed 63.5% of his passes, totaling 2,151 yards along with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. At Indiana, he participated in 13 games, throwing for 1,263 yards with a completion rate of 61.2%, achieving six touchdowns and six interceptions. Jackson's college journey began at Tennessee in 2022.
The season opener is set for noon ET on September 5, marking Jackson's first game in the American Conference, having previously played 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. Details about the game and team preparations remain limited.