LAKE CHARLES – McNeese State climbed into the top five rankings in this week's FCS Coaches poll while moving up one spot to No. 9 in the STATS top 25, setting up a showdown with Sam Houston State (No. 7 STATS, No. 9 Coaches) this Saturday in Cowboy Stadium at 6 p.m.
 
The Cowboys (8-0, 7-0) are one of three FCS teams that are still unbeaten on the season – Harvard (7-0) and Dayton (8-0) – and will be looking to capture the Southland Conference title with a win on Saturday.
 
"This will definitely be the most talented team we've seen all year," said head coach Matt Viator. "We're going to have to be playing good and on all cylinders. If we win the game, we win conference."
 
Jacksonville State is the No. 1 ranked team in both polls. The Gamecocks have been the top team in the STATS poll the past couple of weeks and moved into the top spot in the coaches' poll this week after former No. 1 Coastal Carolina fell to Charleston Southern to fall from the unbeaten ranks.
 
McNeese is tied with North Dakota State at No. 5 in the coaches' poll while Sam Houston State (6-2, 5-1) is tied at No. 9 with Portland State. At No. 2 is Illinois State followed by Chattanooga, Eastern Washington, then McNeese and North Dakota State to round out the top five.
 
The top four teams in the STATS poll mirror the coaches' poll. Richmond is No. 5 followed by North Dakota State at six and Sam Houston State at No. 7. Coastal Carolina fell from No. 2 to No. 8, McNeese, who received one first place vote, is ranked ninth and Portland State at No. 10.
 
Saturday's game between the Cowboys and Bearkats will mark the second time in the last three games, and second straight in Cowboy Stadium, that the two teams will face off ranked in the Top 10.
 
In 2013, McNeese was ranked No. 9 entering the game and defeated the No. 2 Bearkats by a 31-23 score. Last year, the Cowboys went to Huntsville ranked No. 4 in the nation and lost 28-9 to an unranked Sam Houston State squad.
 
STATS FCS Top 25 Poll
1.  Jacksonville State
2.  Illinois State
3.  Chattanooga
4.  Eastern Washington
5.  Richmond
6.  North Dakota State
7.  Sam Houston State
8.  Coastal Carolina
9.  McNeese
10. Portland State
11. South Dakota State
12. William & Mary
13. Harvard
14. James Madison
15. Charleston Southern
16. Fordham
17. Northern Iowa
18. Eastern Kentucky
19. North Carolina A&T
20. Southern Utah
21. Youngstown State
22. Montana
23. Indiana State
24. Dartmouth
25. Citadel
 
FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll
1.  Jacksonville State
2.  Illinois State
3.  Chattanooga
4.  Eastern Washington
T5. McNeese
T5. North Dakota State
7.  Richmond
8.  Coastal Carolina
T9. Portland State
T9. Sam Houston State
11. South Dakota State
12. William & Mary
13. Charleston Southern
14. James Madison
15. Harvard
16. North Carolina A&T
17. Fordham
18. Southern Utah
19. Eastern Kentucky
20. Northern Iowa
21. Youngstown State
T22. Citadel
T22. Montana
24. Montana State
25. Bethune-Cookman