The 2001 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas as a member of the newly-formed Sun Belt Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Darrell Dickey, the Mean Green compiled an overall record of 5âÂÂ7 with a mark 5âÂÂ1 in conference play, sharing the Sun Belt title with Middle Tennessee. North Texas was invited to the New Orleans Bowl, the program's first bowl game appearance since the 1959 Sun Bowl. With a losing record of 5âÂÂ6, the team usually would not have been be considered bowl-eligible, but the Mean Green were able to play in a bowl game by virtue of their conference title. Previously, the most recent bowl appearance by a team with a losing record had been William & Mary in the 1970 Tangerine Bowl. The Mean Green lost the New Orleans Bowl to Colorado State. North Texas played home games at the Fouts Field in Denton, Texas,