LAKE CHARLES – McNeese senior linebacker B.J. Blunt has been named this week's Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in the last three weeks after his dominating performance in the Cowboys' 17-10 win over Stephen F. Austin this past Saturday.
Blunt recorded a McNeese career-high 12 tackles in the game to go along with two sacks, 5 ½ tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery.
Those numbers increase his season totals to 36 tackles, seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss, all team highs.
The New Orleans native is currently ranked tied at the No. 1 spot in the FCS for most sacks on the season and is alone at the top in total tackles for a loss.
He was also named honorable mention as the STATS National Defensive Player of the Week.
Blunt was named the SLC and the STATS National Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago after his performance in the Cowboys' win over Nicholls.
COWBOYS CLIMB IN FCS POLLS
McNeese moved up one spot in each of the STATS Media and AFCA Coaches FCS Top 25 polls, sitting at No. 9 in the STATS and 10
th in the coaches poll.
It's the third straight week for McNeese (4-1, 3-0 SLC) to hold down a spot in the STATS top 10 while the jump to No. 10 in the coaches poll marks the second time in the last three weeks to rank in the top 10.
The Cowboys are one of four Southland Conference teams to rank in the top 25. Nicholls is ranked 12
th in both polls, Sam Houston State is 15
th in the STATS and 16
th in the AFCA.
FCS STATS Poll (October 1)
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous Rank |
| 1 |
North Dakota State |
4-0 |
3947 (155) |
1 |
| 2 |
James Madison |
4-1 |
3794 (3) |
2 |
| 3 |
South Dakota State |
2-1 |
3433 |
3 |
| 4 |
Kennesaw State |
4-1 |
3432 |
4 |
| 5 |
Eastern Washington |
4-1 |
3351 |
5 |
| 6 |
Weber State |
3-1 |
3124 |
6 |
| 7 |
Wofford |
3-1 |
3002 |
7 |
| 8 |
Jacksonville State |
3-1 |
2692 |
8 |
| 9 |
McNeese |
4-1 |
2578 |
10 |
| 10 |
Elon |
3-1 |
2483 |
11 |
| 11 |
North Carolina A&T |
4-1 |
2253 |
12 |
| 12 |
Nicholls |
3-2 |
1971 |
15 |
| 13 |
Stony Brook |
4-1 |
1969 |
18 |
| 14 |
Montana |
4-1 |
1731 |
17 |
| 15 |
Illinois State |
3-1 |
1700 |
9 |
| 16 |
UC Davis |
3-1 |
1420 |
19 |
| 17 |
Sam Houston State |
2-2 |
1291 |
21 |
| 18 |
Rhode Island |
3-1 |
1012 |
22 |
| 19 |
Villanova |
3-2 |
990 |
T13 |
| 20 |
Central Arkansas |
2-2 |
972 |
T13 |
| 21 |
Colgate |
4-0 |
723 |
24 |
| 22 |
Northern Iowa |
2-2 |
672 |
23 |
| 23 |
Towson |
3-1 |
586 |
25 |
| 24 |
Missouri State |
3-1 |
566 |
NR |
| 25 |
Maine |
2-2 |
409 |
16 |
Others Receiving Votes: Chattanooga 254, East Tennessee State 224, Princeton 187, South Dakota 162, Western Illinois 80, Montana State 70, North Dakota 65, Idaho State 54, Yale 46, Dartmouth 27, Sacramento State 23, Tennessee State 21, Prairie View A&M 14, Delaware 9, Harvard 7, Mercer 4, Howard 2.
FCS Coaches Poll (October 1)
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous Rank |
| 1 |
North Dakota State |
4-0 |
650 (26) |
1 |
| 2 |
James Madison |
4-1 |
624 |
2 |
| 3 |
Kennesaw State |
4-1 |
581 |
4 |
| T4 |
Eastern Washington |
4-1 |
557 |
5 |
| T4 |
South Dakota State |
2-1 |
557 |
3 |
| 6 |
Wofford |
3-1 |
530 |
6 |
| 7 |
Weber State |
3-1 |
500 |
7 |
| 8 |
Jacksonville State |
3-1 |
466 |
8 |
| 9 |
Elon |
3-1 |
438 |
9 |
| 10 |
McNeese |
4-1 |
418 |
11 |
| 11 |
North Carolina A&T |
4-1 |
368 |
13 |
| 12 |
Nicholls |
3-2 |
344 |
15 |
| 13 |
Stony Brook |
4-1 |
330 |
17 |
| 14 |
Illinois State |
3-1 |
266 |
10 |
| 15 |
Montana |
4-1 |
262 |
18 |
| 16 |
Sam Houston State |
2-2 |
242 |
19 |
| 17 |
Rhode Island |
3-1 |
205 |
20 |
| 18 |
Central Arkansas |
2-2 |
198 |
12 |
| 19 |
Villanova |
3-2 |
185 |
14 |
| 20 |
Colgate |
4-0 |
149 |
23 |
| 21 |
UC Davis |
3-1 |
144 |
22 |
| 22 |
Northern Iowa |
2-2 |
139 |
21 |
| 23 |
Princeton |
3-0 |
72 |
25 |
| 24 |
Towson |
3-1 |
65 |
NR |
| 25 |
Maine |
2-2 |
63 |
16 |
Others Receiving Votes: East Tennessee State, 17; South Dakota, 15; Chattanooga, 14; Missouri State, 13; Western Illinois, 10; Sacramento State, 7; Southeastern Louisiana, 5; Yale, 4; Dartmouth, 3; Montana State, 3; Delaware, 2; Idaho State, 2; Harvard, 1; Tennessee State, 1.
