LAKE CHARLES – The 2015 McNeese football team reported for fall camp on Wednesday and went through several meetings with compliance and academics before turning their attention to football.
The Cowboys will hit the practice field for the first time on Thursday beginning at 4:30.
Also on Wednesday, the FCS Preseason Coaches Top 25 Poll was released and the Cowboys were positioned at No. 23. McNeese finished 6-5 last season and lost its final three games but returns most of the players from a team that started 6-2, nearly upset 19
th-ranked Nebraska in Lincoln, before injuries settled in late to help start the season ending slide.
McNeese will open the season at LSU on Sept. 5. The Tigers are ranked No. 13 in the Amway Coaches Poll that was released last week.
The Cowboys will play two other teams that are ranked in the FCS preseason poll – Oct. 10 vs. No. 19 Southeastern Louisiana and Nov. 7 against 4
th-ranked Sam Houston State. Both of those games will be played in Cowboy Stadium.
Other Southland Conference members Stephen F. Austin and Central Arkansas received votes in the poll.
North Dakota State, a four-time reigning FCS National Champion, tops the poll followed by Illinois State, Villanova, Sam Houston State and Coastal Carolina to round out the top five.
2015 FCS Preseason Coaches Poll- North Dakota State
- Illinois State
- Villanova
- Sam Houston State
- Coastal Carolina
- Eastern Washington
- New Hampshire
- Chattanooga
- Jacksonville State
- Northern Iowa
- Montana State
- Montana
- James Madison
- Liberty
- South Dakota State
- Youngstown State
- Eastern Kentucky
- Richmond
- Southeastern Louisiana
- Indiana State
- Fordham
- Harvard
- McNeese
- Idaho State
- Eastern Illinois
