LAKE CHARLES – Offense is expected to be in full force on Saturday afternoon when McNeese hosts HBU for its 76^th Homecoming Game in Southland Conference action.
 
Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. in Cowboy Stadium. A video stream will be available for a fee on McNeeseSports.com and the game will air live on 92.9 The Lake with Tom Hoeffer and Ron Hayes.
 
McNeese (3-4, 1-3) has seen its offensive production improve greatly over the last three games averaging 410 total yards and 27 points. The Cowboys scored 38 points in a win over Southeastern Louisiana two weeks ago and put up 31 points in last week's 40-31 loss at UCA.
 
Quarterback Cody Orgeron has set career highs in passing yards and touchdown passes three times during that span, combining to throw for 872 yards and nine touchdowns and increasing his season total to 1,550 yards and 15 TDs.
 
At UCA, Orgeron set a McNeese single-game record with 403 total offensive yards (344 passing, 59 rushing) and came within one play of tying the mark of 61 plays in a game. His 344 passing yards and four TDs were all career highs.
 
With that effort, McNeese is averaging 265.2 yards passing per game in league games only while Orgeron's 15 total TD passes is second in the league and 13^th nationally as HBU quarterback Bailey Zappe tops the conference and nation with 25 touchdown tosses.
 
Zappe's production on the season, 2,474 passing yards and a 353.4 per game average, also ranks No. 1 in the FCS while as a team, HBU (4-3, 1-2) leads the FCS by scoring 45.3 points per game.
 
The Huskies, however, have dropped two straight after starting the season out at 4-1, falling to Incarnate Word 38-36, and most recently, dropping a 45-20 decision at Abilene Christian.
 
Defensively, McNeese has held its last four opponents to under 100 yards rushing each, the first time that's happened since the 2017 season when the Cowboys led the nation by allowing just 54.5 yards on the ground per game.
 
Defensive lineman Cody Roscoe tops the defense with five sacks, followed by Chris Livings with three.
 
Safety Jovon Burriss leads the way with 61 total tackles while three players – Cory McCoy, Justin Jackson and Darion Dunn, each have two interceptions.
 
GAME DAY NOTES
76TH HOMECOMING GAME
• Saturday's game against HBU will mark the 76th Homecoming contest for McNeese.
• The Cowboys have posted an overall record of 55-19-1 in Homecoming games and have won seven straight in the annual event.
• McNeese defeated Central Arkansas 23-21 in last year's Homecoming game in what was quarterback Cody Orgeron's first collegiate start.
• This will be the first time HBU is scheduled as McNeese's Homecoming opponent.
• There are 14 members of the Homecoming Court that will be presented at halftime.
 
VS. HBU
• McNeese and HBU will meet for just the third time in history on Saturday.
• The Cowboys have won the previous two meetings, both coming in the last two seasons.
• HBU was picked to finish 11th in the league preseason poll while McNeese was tabbed for a sixth place finish.
• Last season, Cody Orgeron completed one pass for a 14-yard touchdown while Cyron Sutton caught 2 passes for 68 yards and a score as the Cowboys held on for a 51-34 win in the shootout.
 
McNEESE TEAM NOTABLES
• The Cowboys are 3-1 at home this season, have won 14 of their last 16, and are 213-91-1 all-time in The Hole.
• McNeese has recorded 400 yards or more in back-to-back games for the first time since weeks 7-8 of the 2017 season.
• The Cowboys have won the turnover battle in 5 of the 7 games this season and are 3-0 when not committing a turnover.
• 3-2 on the year when leading at halftime and has won 46 of 53 games when leading at half dating back to the 2012 season.
• Defense has held its last four opponents to under 100 yards rushing.
• Cowboys are 3-0 on the year when not throwing an interception.
• Forced 17 turnovers through 7 games.
• McNeese has forced a turnover in 20 of the last 21 games.
 
McNEESE PLAYER NOTABLES
• QB Cody Orgeron has thrown for 872 yards and 9 TDs in the last three games... set a new school record with 403 total offensive yards against UCA... his 60 total plays registered at UCA was one off the school record of 61 set by Tim Leger in against Northern Iowa in 1996... his 26 completions at UCA ranks tied as the 7th-most in a game in school history... with 118 completions on the year, he needs 7 more to move into the top 20 on the season record list... has 1,550 passing yards to currently rank him 20th in the record book while his 15 TD passes ranks him just outside the top 10.
• WR Cyron Sutton tied a school record at UCA with his fifth straight game to catch a TD pass... caught at least one pass in 16 straight games... needs 2 catches to move into top 15 on season record list... 86 career receptions ranks him just outside the top 15 all-time... 6 TD catches on the year ranks him tied for 6th in the record book while his 11 career TDs ranked him tied for 10th all-time... 624 receiving yards on the season ranks just outside the top 15... 1,362 career receiving yards ranks him 14th all-time.
• DL Cody Roscoe has recorded a sack in two straight games and currently leads the team and ranks 5th in the league with six total sacks.
• FS Jovon Burriss set a new career-high with 14 tackles against SLU, breaking his old high of 12. The senior has recorded 10 or more tackles in a game three times this season.
• LG Grant Burguillos will be making his 35th consecutive start on Saturday. The record is 52 straight held by Reggie Nelson from 1995-98.