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Time: Jan. 1 at noon ET

Place: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

TV: ESPNU

North Texas at a Glance: In his third year as head coach, Dan McCarney led the Mean Green to their first bowl game since 2004—which also happens to be the last time UNT had a winning season. At 8-4, North Texas was one win away from making the Conference USA Championship Game in its first year in the league.

UNLV at a Glance: Head coach Bobby Hauck went from the hot seat to orchestrating one of the best turnarounds in the country with the Rebels. At 7-5, UNLV won more games in 2013 than in Hauck's first three years in Las Vegas (six). Late last month, Hauck agreed to a three-year contract extension that takes him through the 2016 season.

History: UNLV is 4-0 all time against North Texas, with the last meeting coming in 2000 by way of a 38-0 shutout in favor of the Rebels.

Note: All following quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.