2013 North Texas Mean Green football team

The 2013 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Dan McCarney and played its home games at Apogee Stadium. It was the Mean Green's first season as members of Conference USA, competing in the West Division.[1] The team earned a 9-4 record (6-2 in conference) and won the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl. Additionally, it set a school record for average home attendance per game at 21,030. The defense was notable for being statistically the best second half defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It received two top 25 votes in the Coaches' Poll to end the season.

2013 North Texas Mean Green football
Heart of Dallas Bowl champion
Heart of Dallas Bowl, W 36–14 vs. UNLV
Conference	Conference USA
	West Division
2013 record	9–4 (6–2 C-USA)
Head coach	Dan McCarney (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Mike Canales (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	John Skladany (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Apogee Stadium (Capacity: 30,850)

2013 Conference USA football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Marshall x		7	–	1					10	–	4
East Carolina		6	–	2					10	–	3
Middle Tennessee		6	–	2					8	–	5
Florida Atlantic		4	–	4					6	–	6
UAB		1	–	7					2	–	10
Southern Miss		1	–	7					1	–	11
FIU		1	–	7					1	–	11
West Division
Rice x$		7	–	1					10	–	4
UTSA		6	–	2					7	–	5
North Texas		6	–	2					9	–	4
Tulane		5	–	3					7	–	6
Louisiana Tech		3	–	5					4	–	8
Tulsa		2	–	6					3	–	9
UTEP		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: Rice 41, Marshall 24
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The team began the season with a 2-3 record in its first five games before going on a five-game winning streak, culminating in a win against the Rice Owls, which was televised on Fox Sports 1. After losing to the UTSA Roadrunners, the Mean Green were eliminated from conference championship contention. After defeating the Tulsa Golden Hurricane to end the regular season, the Mean Green defeated the UNLV Rebels in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. The bowl game win gave the Mean Green their best season and first bowl win since 2002 and their first winning season since 2004.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 pm	Idaho*	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	NTTV	W 40–6	21,975
September 7	6:00 pm	at Ohio*	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN3	L 21–27	24,511
September 14	3:00 pm	Ball State*	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	FSN	W 34–27	14,747
September 21	11:21 am	at No. 9 Georgia*	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	SECTV	L 21–45	92,746
October 5	2:30 pm	at Tulane	Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA	FCS	L 21–24	20,734
October 12	6:00 pm	Middle Tennessee	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	NTTV	W 34–7	21,171
October 19	2:30 pm	at Louisiana Tech	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	CBSSN	W 28–13	20,317
October 26	6:00 pm	at Southern Miss	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	FCS	W 55–14	23,203
October 31	6:30 pm	Rice	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	FS1	W 28–16	22,835
November 9	2:30 pm	UTEP	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	CSS/TWCSC	W 41–7	26,119
November 23	2:30 pm	UTSA	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX (Rivalry)	TWCSC	L 13–21	19,335
November 30	1:30 pm	at Tulsa	Chapman Stadium Tulsa, OK	FSN	W 42–10	17,792
January 1	11:00 am	vs. UNLV*	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Heart of Dallas Bowl)	ESPNU	W 36–14	38,380
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll All times are in Central time

Schedule Source:[2]

Game summaries

Idaho

	1	2	3	4	Total
Vandals	6	0	0	0	6
Mean Green	14	12	7	7	40

at Ohio

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	7	0	7	7	21
Bobcats	7	14	0	6	27

Ball State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	20	7	0	0	27
Mean Green	3	13	8	10	34

at Georgia

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	0	14	7	0	21
Bulldogs	7	14	14	10	45

at Tulane

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	0	0	7	14	21
Green Wave	0	7	14	3	24

Middle Tennessee

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Raiders	0	7	0	0	7
Mean Green	7	17	0	10	34

at Louisiana Tech

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	0	14	14	0	28
Bulldogs	7	3	0	3	13

at Southern Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	13	28	7	7	55
Golden Eagles	0	7	7	0	14

Rice

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	2	14	0	0	16
Mean Green	7	14	7	0	28

With the win, the Mean Green became bowl eligible for the 2013 season.

UTEP

	1	2	3	4	Total
Miners	0	0	7	0	7
Mean Green	14	7	7	13	41

This game is notable for being the second highest attended game at Apogee Stadium.

UTSA

	1	2	3	4	Total
Roadrunners	7	0	7	7	21
Mean Green	0	3	0	10	13

at Tulsa

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	7	14	14	7	42
Golden Hurricane	10	0	0	0	10

vs. UNLV (Heart of Dallas Bowl)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rebels	7	0	0	7	14
Mean Green	7	0	7	22	36

References

1. "Conference USA Expands Adding Five Members". KOTV. Tulsa. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
2. "2013 North Texas Mean Green Football Schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved February 1, 2013.