McNEESE COWBOYS (0-3, 0-0)

Conference: Southland (SLC)

STATS/AFCA Rank: -/-

Head Coach: Gary Goff

Overall Record: 64-63 (12th year)

at McNeese: 4-10 (2nd year)

vs. EIU: 1-0

EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS (2-1, 0-0)

Conference: Big South/OVC

STATS/AFCA Rank: RV/-

Head Coach: Chris Wilkerson

Overall Record: 55-37 (11th year)

at EIU: 4-10 (2nd year)

vs. McNeese: 0-1

• McNeese will visit Eastern Illinois to wrap up the two-year, Southland Conference-Ohio Valley Challenge.

• The Cowboys defeated the Panthers 29-15 in Lake Charles last season, marking the first matchup since the 1993 slate.

• Saturday's game will complete a three-game road swing for the Cowboys (at Florida, Sept. 9; at Alcorn State, Sept. 16).

TAKING NOTICE--------------------------------------------------------------

520 |  A win will give McNeese its 520th all-time win. Now in its 80th football season, McNeese has compiled a record of 519-317-13 for a 62 percent winning mark.

56  |  Number of newcomers for the Cowboys this season. Includes 20 transfers (14 JUCO, 3 FBS, 2 FCS, 1 D2).

 

43  |  Total number of tackles by sophomore linebacker Micah Davey through the first three games for a 14.3 per game average, ranking him No. 1 in the Southland and 3rd in the FCS. He's recorded double-digit tackles in all three games and is on pace for 157 on the season and threatening the school record of 171 (Charles Ayro, 1997).

 

30  |  Consecutive PATs made by sophomore kicker Garrison Smith - made all 25 last season and is 5-for-5 this season.

 

19  |  Number of first time starters for the Cowboys in the first three games of the season - 11 against Tarleton, 7 at Florida, 1 at Alcorn State.

16  |  Total FCS Playoff appearances, ranking tied with Eastern Illinois as the 6th-most appearances in FCS history among current members.

 

7  |  Number of punts downed inside the 20 by Callum Eddings. He's had another two downed at the 1-yard line, both coming against Florida.

 

3  |  Saturday's game will be the final of three straight away from home. McNeese will return home next Saturday (Sept. 30) against Nicholls in the Southland Conference opener.

SERIES HISTORY

• McNeese and Eastern Illinois will play for the fourth time on Saturday with the Cowboys holding a 3-0 lead in the all-time series.

• The team first played on Sept. 15, 1990 which was a 15-7 McNeese win and the first win of the head coach Bobby Keasler-era.

LAST TIME vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS

• McNeese posted a 29-15 win over the Panthers on Nov. 5 of last year.

• That win started a three-game winning streak for the Cowboys to end the season.

• The Cowboys rolled up 242 rushing yards and 277 passing for 510 total yards while holding EIU to 319 total offense (132 rushing, 187 passing).

• Cowboys' WR Jon McCall had a 33-yard touchdown catch that gave McNeese a 10-0 lead.

• Kicker Garrison Smith nailed three field goals of 39, 21 and 31 yards.

• EIU wide receiver Justin Bowick caught 5 passes for 40 yards including a 19-yard touchdown catch to pull the Panthers to within 29-15 with 3:13 to play in the fourth quarter.

McNEESE vs. OVC-BIG SOUTH

• McNeese is 7-2 overall against members of the Ohio Valley and Big South Conferences.

• All 9 meetings have come against teams in the Ohio Valley - Eastern Illinois, UT Martin and Tennessee State.

• Eastern Illinois is the only team the Cowboys have played from the OVC since 1990.

• McNeese played Tennessee on Nov. 25, 1971, falling 24-20 in the Grantland Rice Bowl.

• On that team for Tennessee State was a player by the name of Ed "Too Tall" Jones who became a standout defensive player for the Dallas Cowboys.

GAMEDAY TID-BITS                        

• McNeese is 0-3 to start the season for the second straight year and just the fifth time in school history (2023, 2022, 1975, 1970, 1954, 1949).

• The Cowboys are looking for its first win of the season and attempting to avoid its first 0-4 start since the 1954 season when the team began that year with five straight losses before finish with a 2-8 mark.

• McNeese is looking for its first passing touchdown of the season.

• The Cowboys have scored on 6 of 7 red-zone opportunities on the season including four touchdowns.

• McNeese's 34 points scored against Tarleton in the season opener is the third-most points scored by a Southland Conference team this season.

• The 79 plays against Tarleton in that game is the 2nd most by a league team through the first three weeks.

• The Cowboys are the only team in the conference with a kick-off return for a touchdown.

• Starting newcomer Nate Glantz has completed 34 of 72 passes for 355 yards but no touchdown through the first three games.

• RB D'Angleo Durham is ranked No. 2 in the Southland Conference in total rushing yards (168), rushing yards per game (56.0) and rushing yard per carry (4.8).

• LB Micah Davey is ranked 1st in the SLC in total tackles (43), solo tackles (24), and tackles per game (14.3).

• P Callum Eddings is No. 2 in the league in punting average (43.7) and is tied for 1st with seven punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

• K Garrison Smith is 3 for 4 on field goals this year, tying for the conference lead in makes.

• Smith kicked a 51-yard FG at Alcorn State, matching the 4th-longest made field goal in school history.

• Smith is also ranked 7th in the league in scoring with 4.7 points per game.

 

DURHAM RETURNING TO FORM   

• Junior running back D'Angelo Durham is returning to form after nearly seeing his career come to a tragic end during week 4 of the 2022 season.

• In that game against Mississippi College where he rushed for a career-high 157 yards, Durham played despite rupturing a tendon in his leg. With the blood flow due to the injury, the leg became infected and he was at risk of losing his leg. He overcame that threat and began his rehab.

• He entered the 2023 season 100% healthy and has rushed for 90 yards with a touchdown through the first two games.

• In 7 career games as a Cowboy, he's rushed for 508 yards and four touchdowns.

• He's coming off a 78-yard rushing game at Alcorn for his season-high and has 168 yards and 4.8 yards per carry.

LB MICAH DAVEY OFF TO STRONG START   

• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Micah Davey has gotten off to a strong start through the first 3 games, totaling 43 tackles for a 14.3 per game average, ranking No. 1 in the Southland and 3rd in the FCS.

• He's coming off an 18-tackle game at Alcorn, matching a career-high he had against Lamar in the season finale last year.

• He has recorded 10 or more tackles in all three games this season and six games in his career.

• His back-to-back double-digit tackle games (12 vs. Tarleton, 13 at Florida), gives him five career games with 10 or more tackles.

• His career-high is 18 stops, that coming against Lamar in last year's season finale.

• He recorded his first-career 10-tackle game at Rice in the second game of the 2022 season.

• He's the son of former LSU standout quarterback and NFL veteran Rohan Davey.

DAVEY 10+ TACKLE GAMES

TKLS                            Opponent, Date
18                               at Alcorn State, 9/16/23

13                               at Florida, 9/9/23

12                               vs. Tarleton State, 9/2/23

18                               vs. Lamar , 11/19/22

10                               at HCU, 11/12/22

10                               at Rice, 9/10/22