The 1996 campaign marked the first time North Texas had been in a Division I-A conference since leaving the Missouri Valley Conference after the 1974 season. The Mean Green had competed as a Division I-A independent from 1975-1982, before dropping down to the Division I-AA Southland Conference from 1983-1994. North Texas spent the 1995 season as a transitional Division I-A member and thus competed as an Independent.