LAKE CHARLES – McNeese's 38-22 Southland Conference loss at Sam Houston State last Saturday dropped the Cowboys out of the top five in both polls for the first time in three weeks as the FCS Coaches poll has tabbed McNeese at No. 10 down from No. 4, while the Sports Network poll dropped the Cowboys from No. 5 to No. 11.
 
The Cowboys (3-2, 1-1 SLC) entered last week's game winners of three straight overall with five consecutive conference road wins dating back to the 2012 season. But McNeese ran into a fresh Bearkat team that was coming off an open date and prior to that week, whipped Lamar in Beaumont.
 
"It was a tough game," said head coach Matt Viator. "When you go back and look at the numbers, we didn't turn it over; penalties didn't beat us; time of possession didn't beat us. None of the things you kind of look at (in the game) as a factor were against us. The numbers were in our favor in all of them when you look at them in terms of that.
 
"What it all boils down to, they (Sam Houston State) made more plays than we did. They were in position to make more plays and that's on us (coaches). Even when we were in position, they were in position. They made more plays than we did."
 
The Beakats (3-3, 2-0 SLC)) returned to the polls on Monday at No. 24 in the Sports Network top 25 and are 25^th in the coach's poll.  Southeastern Louisiana (5-2) climbed one spot to No. 8 in both polls as North Dakota State and Eastern Washington held onto the top two spots.
 
McNeese will turn its attention to Abilene Christian for this Saturday's homecoming contest.
 
"I really like what they're doing," said Viator of ACU. "They have a good football team. They're doing some really good things. Offensively, they have some balance about them. Their quarterback is good and have a good running back. They do a nice job of shifting and moving some people around and giving you some deceptions.
 
"Defensively, they have as good a player, in my opinion, as I've seen in the league in a while," said Viator about senior defensive end Nick Richardson who leads the team and Southland with six sacks and 14 tackles for a loss.
 
The Wildcats pose the league's top-ranked team against the run (110.4 yards yielded) while holding the No. 1 ranked position in passing offense with 311.1 yards per game.
 
McNeese is ranked No. 1 in the league in rushing offense (263.8 ypg), passing defense (186.6), and scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and is second in total defense (321.8 ypg).
 
Sports Network Top 25
1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. New Hampshire
4. Coastal Carolina
5. Villanova
6. Jacksonville State
7. Montana
8. Southeastern Louisiana
9. Montana State
10. Illinois State
11. McNeese
12. Fordham
13. Eastern Kentucky
14. Southern Illinois
15. William & Mary
16. Bethune-Cookman
17. Chattanooga
18. South Dakota State
19. Richmond
20. Northern Iowa
21. Youngstown State
22. Indiana State
23. Charleston Southern
24. Sam Houston State
25. Harvard
 
FCS Coaches Top 25
1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Coastal Carolina
4. Villanova
5. New Hampshire
6. Montana
7. Jacksonville State
8. Southeastern Louisiana
9. Illinois State
10. McNeese
11. Montana State
12. Eastern Kentucky
13. Fordham
14. Bethune-Cookman
15. Chattanooga
16. South Dakota State
17. Southern Illinois
18. William & Mary
19. Youngstown State
20. Richmond
21. Northern Iowa
22. Charleston Southern
23. Indiana State
24. Harvard
25. Sam Houston State