The 2023 schedule for North Texas is a tale of two halves, at least on paper. The first six games of the season feel winnable for first year FBS head coach Eric Morris and his Mean Green, including a Week 1 home clash with Cal. The rest of the non-conference schedule includes trips to FIU and La Tech, as well as a home game against Abilene Christian. The AAC schedule starts with contests against Navy and Temple. 

The second half of the slate is a steeper climb, starting on Oct. 21 with a trip to Tulane. The Mean Green play Tulane, Memphis, UTSA, and SMU in a four-week span. The season ends with a home game against UAB. 

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN 

2022 record: 7-7 
2023 record prediction: 7-5

BIGGEST GAME: vs. UTSA on Nov. 4  

UTSA vs. North Texas represents the best G5 rivalry in the Lone Star State over the last decade. The rivals are 5-5 against each other in regular season matchups. The Roadrunners knocked off North Texas in the 2022 C-USA championship game, which resulted in the firing of head coach Seth Littrell. The good news for the Mean Green is that they control the series in odd-numbered years. North Texas is 4-1 in odd-numbered years against UTSA with the Roadrunners’ last win in one of those seasons coming back in 2013. North Texas beat UTSA in 2021 to ruin the Roadrunners’ perfect record. 

TRAP GAME: at Louisiana Tech on Sept. 16

It would be easy for North Texas to overlook Louisiana Tech given that the Mean Green no longer play in Conference USA. But history suggests that North Texas should take the Bulldogs seriously. La Tech was on a four-game winning streak against North Texas prior to the 2022 win by the Mean Green. Even with that loss, the Bulldogs have won seven of the last nine meetings against North Texas. 

POTENTIAL UPSET: at Tulane on Oct. 21 

North Texas won’t have a shortage of upset opportunities in 2023. The first is in Week 1 against Cal. Home games against UTSA and Memphis are other opportunities to win as potential underdogs, as does a trip to Dallas to play SMU. I’m picking Tulane as the team most likely knocked off by the Mean Green during that tough four-game stretch starting on Oct. 21 in New Orleans.