A pair of undefeated teams will run onto Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium in Commerce, Texas on Saturday looking for their first victory. Only one will leave the field with that elusive first win.
The McNeese Cowboys (0-5) will be looking to avoid its first 0-6 start in program history, while Texas A&M-Commerce (0-4) is looking to beat McNeese for the third time in four contests.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
STILL LOOKING FOR A WIN
McNeese and Texas A&M-Commerce enter Saturday’s Southland Conference contest searching for their first victories of the season, while the Cowboys are trying to avoid its first-ever 0-6 start to a season in program history. McNeese enters the SLC tilt having dropped a game to one FBS team (49-7 to Florida) and four more to FCS teams (52-34 to Tarleton State, 17-2 to Alcorn State, 31-28 to Eastern Illinois and 31-10 to Nicholls). Texas A&M-Commerce meanwhile has dropped one game to an FBS team (10-9 to Old Dominion), and three more to FCS teams (49-10 to No. 16-ranked UC Davis, 34-6 to No. 8-ranked Sacramento State and 56-25 to Stephen F. Austin). McNeese and Texas A&M-Commerce aren’t the only SLC teams still searching for victories. Both Northwestern State (0-4) and SLC’s preseason pick to win the league Southeastern (0-5) have yet to taste victory.
DAVEY ON RECORD PACE
Micah Davey has been a tackling machine this season. The Cowboys sophomore linebacker enters the game with 71 tackles, including 37 of them being solo, and is averaging 14.2 tackles per game. His 71 tackles ranks him No. 1 in the SLC and 2nd in the FCS. With six games left, the 6-foot-2, 239-pound linebacker has a chance to finish with 156 tackles which would rank Top 5 in a single-season. The Cowboys have had six players record at least 150 tackles in a season in program history. Charles Ayro (171 in 1997), Rod Royal (160 in 2002), Terry Irving (159 in 1993), Bob Howell (156 in 1977), Doug Fruge (156 in 1978) and Vincent Landrum (153 in 1994). Ayro, Royal, and Irving all earned All-American honors in those seasons.
MIRROR IMAGES
McNeese and Texas A&M-Commerce are mirror images of each other. In addition to both teams being winless, both are ranked near the bottom in the Southland Conference in both offense and defense. The Cowboys are ranked No. 6 in Total Offense averaging only 16.4 points per game while the Lions are No. 7 with 13 points. McNeese is also ranked No. 6 in the SLC in Total Defense giving up 36 points per game, while Texas A&M-Commerce is right behind them at No. 7 with 37 points per game. The comparisons don’t end there. Both teams have struggled against the run with the Cowboys giving up 5.3 yards per carry while the Lions are giving up 4.8 yards. Texas A&M-Commerce’s Reggie Branch (249 yards) is the fifth leading rusher in the league with McNeese’s D’Angelo Durham (303 yards) ranked sixth.
SERIES RECORD: Texas A&M Commerce leads 2-1
Last Three:
2022: TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE 40 – MCNEESE 15
1971: MCNEESE 47 – TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE 3
1970: TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE 57 – MCNEESE 26
STAT LEADERS
McNeese
Nate Glantz: 61-of-126, 750 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT
D’Angelo Durham: 61 carries, 303 yards, 2 TD
Jon McCall: 15 receptions, 256 yards, 3 TD
Micah Davey: 71 tackles (37 solo)
Garrison Smith: 4-of-6, Long of 50
Texas A&M-Commerce
Josh Magana: 33-of-50, 320 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Reggie Branch: 46 carries, 249 yards, 1 TD
Keith Miller: 8 receptions, 141 yards, 3 TD
Darvion Taylor: 32 tackles (22 solo), 1.5 TFL
Emmanuel Adagbon: 2-of-4, Long of 43