North Texas has confirmed that Tayven Jackson will be the starting quarterback for their upcoming season opener against Indiana University, ranked No. 6. This game is scheduled to take place at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.
Jackson, originally from Greenwood, Indiana, previously spent two seasons at Indiana University from 2023 to 2024, making him well-acquainted with the Hoosiers. He had a notable high school career at Center Grove and played for the Tennessee football program in 2022 before transferring to the University of Central Florida (UCF) for the 2025 season.
During his tenure at UCF, he recorded a personal best of 2,151 passing yards, achieving 10 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
In addition to his football ties to IU, Jackson is also related to former IU basketball player Trayce Jackson-Davis, who has expressed his intention to attend the game in support of his brother. This matchup will be IU's first game since they celebrated their inaugural national championship victory in January.
