NATCHITOCHES – McNeese will venture to central Louisiana on Saturday for one of its biggest, in-state rivalry games in school history when it takes on Northwestern State in Southland Conference football action.
Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at NSU's Turpin Stadium. The game will broadcast live on Cox Sports Television (CST) and on ESPN+ with no blackout scheduled. It'll also air live on the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake, 929thelake.com).
Both teams are searching for their first league wins. McNeese (1-3, 0-3) is coming off a heartbreaking 27-26 overtime loss to Lamar in a game that saw the Cowboys miss two extra points, a field goal and have a 90-year kickoff return for a touchdown called back.
The Demons (0-2, 0-2) had three field goals blocked in a 27-24 loss to Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday.
"They're a good team who is very well coached," said McNeese head coach
Frank Wilson. "We have a lot of respect for them. This has been a great rivalry that is going on 70 years now."
SERIES VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE
• Saturday's game will mark the 70th meeting between McNeese and Northwestern State with the Cowboys holding a 47-21-1 lead in the all-time series.
• The Cowboys had won 13 straight in the series until NSU snapped the streak in 2018 with a 37-34 double ot win.
• McNeese got back on the winning track in 2019, the last meeting between the two, with a 30-20 win in Lake Charles for its 15th straight win in Cowboy Stadium.
• The Cowboys are 22-12-1 at Northwestern State and are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Turpin Stadium.
WILLIAMS GETS 1ST 100 YARD GAME
• Sophomore running back
Carlos Williams recorded his first collegiate 100-yard game against Lamar last Saturday, rolling up 102 yards on 18 carries for a 5.7 ypc average.
• He's the second 100-yard rusher for the Cowboys this season. Against Tarleton State in the season opener, quarterback
Cody Orgeron rushed for 108 yards, his first career 100-yard rushing game.
RUNNING GAME EXPLODES VS. LAMAR
• The Cowboys rushed for 345 yards on 46 carries against Lamar last Saturday, an average of 7.5 yards per carry.
• Of those 345 yards, one was an 80-yard TD run on McNeese's first offensive play and another came on a 45-yard TD run by
AJ Carter - two big scoring plays that have eluded McNeese's offense for the season up to that point.
• The 345 is the most rushing yards in a game since running for 342 against Stephen F. Austin in 2017.
FRESHMEN GETTING THEIR CHANCE
• A large number of true and redshirt freshmen have been getting an abundance of snaps this spring for the Cowboys.
• Through four games, a total of 16 freshmen have seen significant action this season - 8 redshirt freshmen and 8 true freshmen.
• The offensive line has seen four freshmen take snaps so far, two of those being walk-ons. This being due to injuries and COVID protocols.
