The McNeese Cowboys (1-3) open up Southland Conference play on the road against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (2-2).
McNeese will look to open up SLC play with a victory for the second straight season and will look to do so against an SFA squad, which was selected to finish second in the conference in the SLC Preseason Poll.
Kickoff between McNeese and SFA from Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas, is scheduled for 7:00 PM is Saturday.
VIATOR TOPS THE SLC
There is no one better at winning SLC games than McNeese head football coach Matt Viator. The Cowboys coach enters Saturday’s games as the conference’s all-time leader in conference victories with 54 and has an SLC winning percentage of .750. He has 79 overall wins as an SLC head coach, and that ranks him third in conference history, trailing only Sam Houston State’s Ran Randleman (99) and Northwestern State’s Sam Goodwin (83).
OFFENSE LEADS THE PACK
Despite losing last week 48-7 at Utah State, McNeese enters Saturday’s SLC opener as one of the league’s best offenses. The Cowboys carry the league’s second-highest total offense (419.5). McNeese also has the SLC’s second-leading rushing offense (180.0) and first downs offense (87). Quarterback Jake Strong’s 17 completions per game average leads the league, and he ranks second in passing touchdowns (6), passing yards (887), passing yards average (221.8), and passing yards per completion (13.04). Cowboys running back Tre’Vonte Citizen rates second in rushing yards (272) and rushing yards average (68.0).
NACOGDOCES A SECOND HOME
McNeese leads the all-time series with SFA 23-15-2 and has had no issue winning games in Nacogdoches. McNeese has won four straight games inside Homer Bryce Stadium, and none of them were particularly close in final results. McNeese won 33-10 in 2019, 35-0 in 2017, 28-14 in 2015, and 69-38 in 2013. The last Lumberjacks home victory in the series came in 2011 when SFA won 37-17.
SERIES RECORD: McNeese leads the series 23-15-2
Last Five Meetings
2024: McNeese 28 — SFA 24
2019: McNeese 33 — SFA 10
2018: McNeese 17 — SFA 10
2017: McNeese 35 — SFA 0
2016: SFA 31 — McNeese 28
STAT LEADERS:
McNeese
Jake Strong: 68-120, 887 Yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
Tre’Vonte Citizen: 37 Carries, 272 Yards, 2 TD
Jonathan Harris: 14 Catches, 185 Yards, 4 TD
Phillip Bradford: 2 Sacks, 6 TFL
Shoes Brinkley: 32 Tackles (20 Solo)
Shoes Brinkley, Javon Davis, Mason Edwards & Johnquai Lewis: 1 INT
Fabrizio Pinton: 2-of-3 Field Goals, Long of 45
Stephen F. Austin
Sam Vidlak: 65-103, 689 Yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Jerrell Wimbley: 28 Carries, 206 Yards, 2 TD
Richard Reese: 27 Carries, 130 Yards, 2 TD
Kylon Harris: 19 Catches, 185 Yards, TD
Jaydon Southard: 34 Tackles, 3 Tackles For A Loss, INT
Malachi Williams: 34 Tackles, 1.5 Tackles For A Loss, INT
Carlos Alvardado: 16-of-16 PAT