What: McNeese (7-0, 6-0 SLC) at Abilene Christian (2-5, 2-4)
When: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015
Time: 2:30 p.m. kickoff
Where: Shotwell Stadium; Abilene, Texas
Rankings (Coaches/STATS: McNeese (7/10); Abilene Christian (NR/NR)
TV: ASN (Channel 7, the CW, Suddenlink in Lake Charles; DirecTV 30);
      Altitude (DirecTV 681; Dish 413)
      MASN (DirecTV 640; Dish 432
Stream: Southland.org/watch
Radio: 92.9 FM The Lake; 960 AM The Gator in Lafayette
 
ABILENE, Texas – It'll be west bound and down for No. 7/10 McNeese this Saturday when the undefeated Cowboys make their first-ever trip 8 ½ hours into Northwest Texas for face Abilene Christian in Southland Conference football action.
 
Kickoff is set for 2:30 at Abilene's Shotwell Stadium. The game will be televised live on the American Sports Network (Suddenlink CW 7 in Lake Charles, also on DirecTV 30). It'll also be carried live on the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake, 960 The Gater).
 
The Cowboys (7-0, 6-0 SLC) are making their second long road trip in the last three weeks. Two weeks ago McNeese visited Central Arkansas and came out with a 28-13 victory. After Saturday's game, the team will have put in nearly 2,000 on the pavement.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Cowboys will return home for their final regular season home contest against Sam Houston State on Nov. 7 in a game that will likely have a bearing on the conference championship.
 
But first, McNeese will need to focus on an Abilene (2-5, 2-4) team that has been decimated by injuries lately and the result has been four straight losses, including last week's last minute 25-20 loss at Incarnate Word in a game that was moved from Saturday to Sunday due to the weather.
 
"We're not looking ahead and not overlooking anyone," said quarterback Daniel Sams. "Because this league is so competitive, anybody can beat anyone in any week."
 
For the second straight game last week, McNeese had to come from behind to keep its perfect record intact, albeit against Northwestern State, the deficit came in the first few seconds of the game when Ed Eagan returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
 
But when tied 27-27 after the Demons scored on the first play of the first quarter, the Cowboys rolled off 20 unanswered points to turn a close game on the field into a blowout on the scoreboard. McNeese has scored 41 points in the fourth quarter the last two games – three TDs in each outing.
 
The 47 points scored were the most by the Cowboys this season in large part due to the play of Sams who shined in the second half by completing 7 of the 9 passes thrown for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He was a perfect 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter for 55 yards. And in addition to his second half throwing performance, Sams ran the ball six times for 63 yards.
 
The offense moved the ball so well in the second half that it only faced four third downs in six possessions, converting three of them.
 
On defense, McNeese doubled its season total heading into the game with two picks, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth. Both led to McNeese touchdowns.
 
The turnover game has been big for the Cowboys this season. McNeese will enter Saturday's game plus-7 in the turnover department with 13 fumble recoveries and four interceptions on the year. The Cowboys have scored 66 points off turnovers this season including 14 points in each of the last two games.
 
Ryan Ross and Sams are ranked 3-4 respectively in the conference in rushing, Ross averaging 81.4 yards per game while Sams is at 78.7. Sams is second in the league in total offense with 235.6 yards per game while Ross is 10^th in the FCS with 6.8 yards per carry.
 
The Wildcats have been hampered by injuries for most of the season and were without 15 players at UIW last week.
 
Running back De'Andre Brown has been the team's leader in the backfield having rushed for 500 yards and five touchdowns and is averaging 71.4 yards per game.
 
Quarterback Parker McKenzie has thrown for 1,206 yards and 10 touchdowns on 112 of 180 passing. He's been picked off seven times and is averaging 186.6 yards per game through the air.
 
ACU is second in the league in passing with a 240.9 average, but on defense, the Wildcats are 10^th in total defense (488.4 ypg) and 10^th in rushing defense, allowing 266.7 yards a game and 288 yards in the last three games, including a 391 allowance to Lamar three weeks ago.
 
Saturday's game will be the third meeting between the two teams with McNeese holding a 2-0 lead in the series. This will be the first time to play in Abilene.