The McNeese Cowboys have a chance to redeem themselves after a failed comeback last weekend against the Tarleton State Texans. This week, Gary Goff’s group returns to Lake Charles for their home opener versus the Southern University Jaguars.
This will be only the fourth-ever meeting between these two Louisiana football programs and the second in Lake Charles. The other two matchups were held in Baton Rouge at A.W. Mumford Stadium, the home of the Jaguars.
Kickoff inside Cowboy Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 31st.
CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF RUN GAME
In week 0’s loss to Tarleton State, McNeese’s offense showed serious signs of having a potent rushing attack. The first drive was cut short after a bobbled snap by quarterback Clifton McDowell but the first couple of plays had good blocking and holes for the ball carriers to go through.
The Cowboys couldn’t rely on the run game as much as they wanted to after being down by as much as 19 points in last week’s contest. Despite that, Gary Goff’s offense still rushed 200 yards on 46 carries (4.3 yards per carry as a team).
The biggest key to McNeese’s success on Saturday night is establishing the run. The star quarterback is a dual threat, doing damage through the air and on the ground. The Pokes also have a three-headed running back room. Joshon Barbie had fumbling issues in game one but should have that fixed while D’Angelo Durham and TreVonte Citizen are expected to get more touches in this next game.
HOME OPENER STRUGGLES
The McNeese Cowboys have called Cowboy Stadium home since the 1965 season. Through the first 55 seasons, McNeese posted a 44-11 record in their home openers.
Since then, the Cowboys have lost their last four games, most recently to Tarleton State last year and fell to Alcorn State in week three 30-19 in 2022. The two previous seasons resulted in a 42-36 loss to West Florida and a 48-20 beatdown from Incarnate Word in the shortened 2020 season.
The last time McNeese won their home opener was in 2019 when they defeated these same Southern Jaguars 34-28.
NEW JAGUARS COACHING STAFF
Southern’s Terrence Graves enters his first year as the team’s head coach and his first time as a full-time head coach of a program.
Graves was thrust into the role as the Jag’s interim head coach last year heading into the team’s final game of the season. The team’s previous coach Eric Dooley was fired after a 27-21 loss to Prairie View; one week before the Bayou Classic against Grambling. Graves led Southern to a 27-22 win to finish the 2023 season with a 6-5 record. The new head man for the Jaguars has a 2-0 record as an interim coach but has spent most of his coaching career as either a defensive or special teams coach, dating as far back as 1993 when Graves was a DB coach for Winston-Salem State.
In addition to a new head coach, Southern also made changes to the staff including the offensive coordinator position as former Jaguar Mark Frederick rejoined the program.
SERIES RECORD: McNeese leads series 3-0
Last Three:
2021: MCNEESE 31 – SOUTHERN 24
2019: MCNEESE 34 – SOUTHERN 28
2004: MCNEESE 35 – SOUTHERN 18
STAT LEADERS
McNeese
Clifton McDowell: 14-of-20, 245 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Clifton McDowell: 20 carries, 67 yards
Matthew McCallister: 1 reception, 80 yards, 1 TD
AJ Thomas & Masey Lewis: 1 sack
Micah Davey: 14 tackles (2 solo)