The North Texas Mean Green take on the Army Black Knights in West Point, NY. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
North Texas is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -135. The total is set at 50.5 points.
Here’s my North Texas vs. Army prediction and college football picks for Saturday, September 20, 2025.
North Texas vs Army Prediction
- North Texas vs. Army Pick: North Texas ML -130
My Army vs. North Texas best bet is on the Mean Green moneyline. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
North Texas vs Army Odds
| North Texas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | -135 |
| Army Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | +115 |
- North Texas vs Army point spread: North Texas -2.5
- North Texas vs Army over/under: 50.5 points
- North Texas vs Army moneyline: North Texas -135, Army +115
North Texas vs Army Preview
North Texas Mean Green Betting Preview: Defensive Improvements This Year
Over the years, North Texas' offense has been high flying, but its defense hasn't been able to secure stops.
The improvements that have been made by Skyler Cassity in year one have been stunning up to this point, and they're very real improvements (2.7 yards per rush surrendered and 230 yards per game, including 3.7 yards per play).
This defense is flying all over the football field, and it's allowed only three red zone touchdowns this entire season. The Mean Green are 29th in defensive success rate, 13th in defensive EPA per play surrendered and 21st in standard down success rate.
They've also already seen the Army option attack, as these two teams met last year. The Mean Green were one of the only teams that were really able to limit the Black Knights all season, with the other being Notre Dame.
North Texas will be prepared for this attack, and Army is missing its explosive plays and punch on offense.
Army Black Knights Betting Preview: Can They Throw?
In my opinion, the Black Knights' comeback win against Kansas State says a lot more about the Wildcats than it does Army.
I was stunned at the apathetic nature of Kansas State, as it looked so dejected while up 13-0. The Wildcats had a chance to completely put the stranglehold on Army, and they didn't do it.
The Army offense is averaging 3.8 yards per rush and is 91st nationally in offensive explosiveness this season. The Black Knights don't have a lot of the chunk plays, and they don't have pop. They're really missing Bryson Daily and Kanye Udo to really provide that explosiveness.
Army is 77th in offensive finishing drives and it's 93rd in offensive success rate. When you're not achieving successful plays consistently, you're consistently behind the sticks.
You're in an unfavorable down and distance, and I'm not banking on Army being able to throw its way out of it against this team.
North Texas vs Army Pick, Betting Analysis
Now when you look at North Texas offensively, Drew Mestemaker has just been brilliant this season (70% completion percentage, nine touchdowns). He hasn't thrown an interception this season, and he doesn't make mistakes.
Army is 114th in pass play explosiveness allowed and 95th in pass play EPA.
It played FCS Tarleton State, and Tarleton was in as bad a situation as you're possibly going to get from a schedule perspective. The team had short rest, as it was traveling back to Texas from Portland.
I don't think Army is going to be able to defend the passing attack, just like it couldn't defend Tarleton's punch.
Kansas State wasn't able to really exploit Army's secondary, but North Texas is absolutely going to eat this back seven alive through the pass.
I took North Texas at +3 on the openers, and I would go back right now for the moneyline. The Mean Green are going to win this game on the field, and I really think this is going to be a springboard type of game for them.
Pick: North Texas ML -130
