After five-win jump in 2013 and a bowl win, North Texas looks to establish a new standard

DENTON, Texas – The Heart of Dallas Bowl trophy sits in North Texas coach Dan McCarney's office on a coffee table near the door. It's impossible to miss. All two-plus feet of it tall, it takes up most of the table's surface.

Its prominent location isn't on accident either. North Texas' 36-14 win over UNLV on January 1 was the program's third bowl win. When something happens for just the third time in 100 years, you get the right to soak it all in.

The win gave North Texas its first nine-win season since 2003 and solidified the program's first winning season since 2004, a season that seems much further away than 10 years ago for North Texas fans.

"We set a goal last January ... and all we said was 'hit six' (wins). But what the hell is that, hit six?" McCarney told Yahoo Sports. "We said this, let's hit six, and we talked to our football team about it. Frank Winter, my strength and conditioning coach and I were the two that really kind of came up with it."

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