BATON ROUGE – The highly anticipated match-up for the McNeese Cowboys against the LSU Tigers washed away just five minutes into the contest as a lightning delay that lasted nearly four hours finally put the axe on the game at 10:42 – 3 hours and 57 minutes after kickoff.
 
Head coaches Matt Viator and Les Miles met on Tiger Stadium field and mutually agreed to end the game.
 
"Obviously disappointed," said Viator.  "We certainly wanted to play as did LSU. I think the way LSU handled it was obviously correct. I commend LSU. First class in everything they do. The President of the university even came into our locker room and expressed his disappointment in not getting to play."
 
Both teams put together one offensive series before the delay began.
 
LSU ran six plays and had one first down before being forced to punt while the Cowboys went three-and-out which led to a punt.
 
"Coach Miles expressed his disappointment," said Viator during his on-field meeting with Coach Miles to discuss the cancellation. "We need to play and they do too. They open conference next week (at Mississippi State) as do we (versus Incarnate Word).
 
"It all comes down to player safety."
 
This is the first time McNeese has had a game canceled due to the weather after it had already started. The Cowboys had three games canceled in the 2005 season due to Hurricane Rita.
 
Saturday's game will not be made up. The Cowboys will now turn their attention to next Saturday's Southland Conference and home opener against Incarnate Word.