North Texas has victories against Texas Tech and LSU, but has really played a very weak schedule so far. In fact, the Mean Green have left the state of Texas only twice so far this season.
Here's some comparisons between the two:
Record: UALR 8-6, North Texas 11-2
Record vs. D1: UALR 6-6, North Texas 9-2
Record vs. top 50 RPI: UALR 0-0, North Texas 0-1
Record vs. 51-100 RPI: UALR 0-4, North Texas 0-1
Record vs. others: UALR 6-2, North Texas 9-0
Current RPI: UALR 124, North Texas 90
Current strength of schedule: UALR 101, North Texas 291
Best victory: UALR (Tulsa 139 RPI), North Texas (Jackson State 120 RPI)
Worst loss: UALR (Rice 204 RPI), North Texas (Sam Houston State 84 RPI)
Record vs. teams with winning record: UALR 3-4, North Texas (1-1)
What does it mean? LSU and Texas Tech are not ranked inside the RPI top 200 this season. But North Texas has beaten the teams it should have beaten. The 20-point loss at Sam Houston State might just have been an off night (SHSU has a good RPI but a sub .500 record). And North Texas is undefeated at home this season.
UALR has played a much tougher schedule and played in much tougher venues. But the Trojans didn't score any really good victories away from the Jack Stephens Center.
Both UALR and North Texas did what they had to do in the nonconference games. Both appear to be contenders in the Sun Belt this season.
