Regular-season rematches aren't always the most exciting, but the Heart of Dallas Bowl features two programs on the tail end of turnaround seasons. If you want to see a game with two coaches on the verge of climbing up the proverbial coaching ladder, this one is for you.
Army, under third-year coach Jeff Monken, finished its season with a win over Navy, it's first since 2001, while North Texas is going bowling for the first time since 2013 with a 5-7 record in its first season with Seth Littrell.
The two sides met Oct. 22 with North Texas winning 35-18.
Viewing information
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 27
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Cotton Bowl -- Dallas, Texas
TV: ESPN
Live streams: WatchESPN / WatchESPN apps
Storylines
Army: It's been a season of exorcising demons for the Black Knights. First, seven wins is the highest total for the program since 2010, which also marks the last time Army went to a bowl game. Second, the Black Knights ended a miserable 14-year losing streak to Navy. This once-powerhouse has gone through its fair share of tough times, but Monken did an excellent job turning things around.
North Texas: Littrell's coaching debut went better than expected. Granted, North Texas lost four of its last five games and finished with a sub-.500 record -- its bowl appearance is boosted by APR scores -- but for a program with a string of losing records spanning a decade, five wins was a pleasant surprise. The Mean Green also did a better job of putting up points, something it couldn't do in the Dan McCarney era. There's still a long way to go for Littrell as he continues to build the program, but a four-win swing from 2015 is a heck of a start.
Players to watch
Ahmad Bradshaw, QB, Army: It should be no surprise that the quarterback for the option offense gets the nod. Bradshaw was second on the team in rushing yards (697) and touchdowns (seven). He also had his worst game of the season against North Texas with four interceptions. Then again, Army was playing from behind. If the Black Knights want a different outcome this time, they can't afford to fall behind. That starts, in part, with Bradshaw.
Jeffrey Wilson, RB, North Texas: The junior has been the workhorse back in the Mean Green's offense with 149 carries for 855 yards and 13 touchdowns. He probably would be a 1,000-yard back if a knee injury hadn't kept him out of two games towards the end of the season. As it so happens, Wilson's best game of the 2016 season came against Army two months ago when he rushed for 160 yards and three scores.
Prediction
Amazingly, Army was a 17.5-point favorite over North Texas earlier this season, yet lost by 17 points. This line is a little smaller, but still hovering at double digits. North Texas hasn't been great at stopping the run, so getting turnovers again will be critical if it wants to win. However, Army has some mojo thanks to some big wins down the stretch. This one should be a lot closer either way given the familiarity between the two sides. Pick: North Texas +10.5
