NACOGDOCHES, Texas – McNeese takes a trip into the Piney Woods of Texas on Saturday as the 25^th ranked Cowboys visit Stephen F. Austin in a key Southland Conference matchup.
 
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at SFA's Homer Bryce Stadium. The game will broadcast live on ESPN3 and on the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake).
 
McNeese (3-1, 1-1) as won three straight games since dropping the season opener at Nicholls on a last second field goal. The Cowboys are coming off a 27-12 win over Houston Baptist last week while SFA (2-2, 2-0) sits alone atop the conference standings following wins over Incarnate Word (37-31) and Abilene Christian (20-10).
 
"We had a good week of practice," said head coach Lance Guidry. "Our preparation was really good. They (SFA) have a good football team. We remember what they did to us last year. We felt like we let one get away from us then, kind of like the Nicholls game this year."
 
The Lumberjacks edged the Cowboys 31-28 after scoring the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter using a drive that was set up by a McNeese interception.
 
"We need to play good defense and keep the ball in front of us, and on offense, we can't turn the ball over or give up any defensive touchdowns," said Guidry.
 
McNeese's defense, ranked No. 1 in the Southland Conference in both rushing and total defense, did not allow an offensive touchdown last week against the Huskies and held its opponent under 100 yards rushing for the fourth time this season.
 
Offensively, McNeese struggled to move the ball last week and put up its lowest yardage output of the season with 306 total yards. But the Cowboys got help from the defense with four turnovers, three of those that ignited the offense to three scores equaling 17 points.
 
"We didn't have the game we would liked to have had last week," said quarterback James Tabary who has thrown multiple touchdown passes in all four games this season. "We had a great week of practice and look forward to Saturday."
 
McNeese has won at SFA the last two visits, 28-14 in 2015 and 69-38 in 2013. The visiting team has won the last four contests.
 
GAMEDAY NOTES:
• WR Kent Shelby has caught a pass in 28 consecutive games.
• James Tabary is ranked 1^st in the SLC and 6^th in the FCS with 11 touchdown passes on the year.
• McNeese is ranked for the first time this season and first since falling out of the polls following an Oct. 1 loss at Southeastern Louisiana.
• This is the fifth straight year McNeese is ranked playing the Lumberjacks.
• The Cowboys have picked off six passes through four games. Last year, McNeese had eight interceptions for the entire season.