DENTON, Texas - The University of North Texas today released its 2013 football schedule, the first in which the Mean Green will compete as a member of Conference USA.  North Texas will play eight C-USA games, including three home games against schools from Texas - the first time that has happened since 1994.  North Texas will also open the season with a home game, for the first time since 2001.   

"We are very excited to be playing a schedule that includes so many regional rivalries," said head coach Dan McCarney.  "With three Texas teams coming to Denton and four more games that are easily drivable, our fans will have plenty of opportunities to see the Mean Green in its first season of Conference USA."    

North Texas begins the season at Apogee Stadium against Idaho on Aug. 31.  It will be the first meeting with the Vandals since the two teams met as Sun Belt Conference opponents in 2004.  The Mean Green will travel to Ohio University on Sept. 9 before returning home to battle another Mid-American Conference opponent Ball State Sept. 14.  The non-conference portion of the schedule concludes with a game at Georgia Sept. 21.

The first official Conference USA game for North Texas will take place in New Orleans, where the Mean Green will open league play against Tulane Oct. 5.  Familiar foe Middle Tennessee will come to Apogee Oct. 12, which will be the only home game for North Texas in the month of October. 

The C-USA battle of Texas will take place in November, with the Mean Green hosting Rice Nov. 2, UTEP Nov 9 and UTSA Nov. 23.  North Texas closes out the season with a Nov. 30 game at defending C-USA champion Tulsa.

The 12-game schedule features seven teams that had at least seven wins last season and five teams with at least nine victories.  North Texas will be playing in Conference USA in 2013 after spending the last 12 seasons as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. 

North Texas 2013 Football Schedule

Date                    Opponent (2012 Record)

Aug 31                  Idaho (1-11)  
Sep 7                     at Ohio (9-4)
Sep 14                   Ball State (9-4)
Sep 21                   at Georgia (12-2)
Sep 28                   bye
Oct 5                      at Tulane (2-10)*
Oct 12                   Middle Tennessee (8-4)*
Oct 19                   at Louisiana Tech (9-3)*
Oct 26                   at Southern Miss. (0-12)*
Nov 2                    Rice (7-6)*
Nov 9                    UTEP (3-9)*
Nov 16                  bye
Nov 23                  UTSA (8-4)*
Nov 30                  at Tulsa (11-3)*

* Conference USA game