LAKE CHARLES – The biggest game of the Southland Conference season thus far will take place in Cowboy Stadium on Saturday night when McNeese hosts Southeastern Louisiana in a battle of ranked and unbeaten teams.
FCS top 25 polls released on Monday had the Cowboys moving up two spots to No. 13 in the coaches' poll while jumping one spot to No. 22 in the STATS ranking. SLU is No. 17 in the coaches' and 20 in the STATS poll.
McNeese (4-0, 3-0 SLC) is coming off a 37-7 win at Nicholls on Saturday while SLU (3-1, 2-0) scored late to beat Lamar 30-27 last Thursday.
The Cowboys will be looking to snap a three-game skid against the Lions and will look upon their top ranked defense and balanced offense to get the job done.
"This is a big game for us," said head coach
Matt Viator at his weekly press luncheon on Monday. "It's a big early game for the conference. Without a doubt, over the last two years, Southeastern has by far been the best team in the league."
The Lions are coming off back-to-back conference championships but finds themselves with a different look this year on offense without quarterback Brian Bennett.
"They do have a different look without Bennett," said Viator. "They seem to be focusing more on the perimeter run game this year."
The Cowboys will be looking to use their top-ranked defense to corral SLU's running game that ranks No. 1 in the Southland.
Defensively, McNeese leads the league in scoring defense (6.8 ppg), rushing (76.2), passing (170.2), and total (246.5). The Cowboys are also No. 1 in pass efficiency defense, quarterback sacks, and first downs allowed.
SLU's top-ranked rushing offense is rolling up 252.2 yards per game but is only five yards more than what McNeese is averaging per outing. While on defense, the Lions ranked behind the Cowboys in rushing (102.5), scoring (24.8) and pass efficiency defense).
"They're huge on the defensive line," said Viator. "They pretty much run the same thing they did last year. They've got all of their secondary back with some new guys at linebacker and on the line."
The secondary includes two transfers from LSU and one from Tulane, but the two non transfers – Harlan Miller and Denzel Thompson, are returning all-SLC players. Miller leads the league with three interceptions on the season.
Nationally, McNeese ranks No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 3 in total and rushing defense, 10
th in rushing offense, 16
th in scoring offense (36.3), 19
th in total offense (448.0), and 20
th in passing defense.
Sam Houston State is the only other conference team ranked in the polls – 11 in STATS and 14 in coaches'.
Coastal Carolina tops the coaches' poll for the third straight week followed by North Dakota State, Jacksonville State, Illinois State, and James Madison to round out the top five. In the STATs poll, Jacksonville State is the top-ranked team followed by Coastal Carolina, North Dakota State, Illinois State, and James Madison.
FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll1. Coastal Carolina
2. North Dakota State
3. Jacksonville State
4. Illinois State
5. James Madison
6. Chattanooga
7. Youngstown State
8. Eastern Washington
9. South Dakota State
10. Northern Iowa
11. Montana
12. Fordham
13. McNeese
14. Sam Houston State
15. Liberty
16. Villanova
17. Southeastern Louisiana
18. Richmond
19. Montana State
20. Eastern Kentucky
21. Indiana State
22. New Hampshire
23. Portland State
24. Harvard
25. North Dakota
STATs Top 25 Poll1. Jacksonville State
2. Coastal Carolina
3. North Dakota State
4. Illinois State
5. James Madison
6. Chattanooga
7. Eastern Washington
8. South Dakota State
9. Youngstown State
10. Northern Iowa
11. Sam Houston State
12. Montana
13. Fordham
14. Villanova
15. Liberty
16. Richmond
17. Eastern Kentucky
18. Montana State
19. Indiana State
20. Southeastern Louisiana
21. New Hampshire
22. McNeese
23. North Dakota
24. Harvard
25. Portland State
