HOUSTON – McNeese returns to Southland Conference play on Saturday when the 22^nd-ranked Cowboys visit HCU in their final game before a much-needed open date.
 
McNeese (4-2, 1-0 SLC) is coming off a thrilling 28-26 win at then-No. 25 Weber State to extend its winning streak to three straight, the longest since ending the 2022 season with three wins in-a-row. The Cowboys haven't won four-straight since winning six straight in-a-row at the end of the 2017 and beginning of 2018 seasons.
 
HCU (2-3, 0-0) is coming off a 27-24 win at Indiana State and is playing at home for the first time since a 70-7 win over Louisiana Christian on September 14.
 
SERIES HISTORY                              
• Saturday's game will be the 7th meeting between the Cowboys and Huskies with McNeese holding a 5-1 lead.
• The Cowboys won the first five meetings before HCU topped McNeese 35-24 in Lake Charles last season for the program's first victory over the Cowboys.
• The series began in 2017 with McNeese winning 27-12 in Lake Charles.
• McNeese is 3-0 all-time when playing in Houston.
• The Cowboys are outscoring the Huskies 209-121 all-time, an average score of 34.8-20.2.
 
LAST TIME vs. HCU                          
• HCU scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to rally for a 35-24 win over McNeese in Cowboy Stadium on Nov. 11 of last season.
• McNeese led 17-14 at the half and took a 24-21 lead after a 3-yard touchdown run by D'Angelo Durham with 4:19 to play in the third quarter.
• HCU's defense then held the Cowboy offense to 3-and-outs in all three of their fourth quarter drives and was able to scored TDs from two of those stops, including the final TD with 1:24 to play to cap the scoring.
• Joshon Barbie led McNeese with 84 rushing yards and a TD with Durham added 24 yards and a score.
 
BACK IN THE RANKINGS                     
• McNeese returned to familiar territory this week when it was voted into both the STATS Perform and AFCA Coaches Top 25 polls - 22nd in STATS and 24th in AFCA.
• It's the first time since the end of the 2018 season to be ranked in both polls, a spot that was a regular weekly occurance prior to 2019..
• McNeese did break into the STATS poll in the 2021 spring season after defeating Tarleton State top open that season in February.
• The Cowboys have received votes for most of the season leading up to the win at Weber State.
 
ROAD WARRIORS                               
• The Cowboys will continue their 6-week stint away from home this weekend at HCU.
• McNeese last played at home on Sept. 21 (def. Alcorn State 42-14) and will not play at home again until Nov. 2 when it hosts Texas A&M-Commerce.
• The Cowboys snapped an 8-game road losing streak last Saturday in the 28-26 win at Weber State.
• McNeese will be looking for its first conference road win since defeating HCU 21-10 back on Nov. 12, 2022 (3 straight SLC road losses).
• Following Saturday's game, the Cowboys will be open on Oct. 12 then will visit UIW (Oct. 19) and Nicholls (Oct. 26).
 
GET THAT OUTTA HERE                      
• McNeese's defense has recorded 30 pass break-ups on the season, already four more than all of the 2023 slate (26).
• Transfer CB Yusef Leak leads the team with 5 PBUs which also ranks No. 1 in the SLC and 5th-most in the FCS.
• S Boogsie Silvera, NB Reggie Ellis and CB Levi Wyatt are all tied for 3rd in the SLC with 3 break-ups each.
• The school record for PBU's in a season is 85 which happened during the 2002 National Championship run.
• The most PBUs in a regular season 64 (2019).
 
RUNNING WILD                                  
• McNeese's rushing game has recorded three 200-yard outings on the season, including two straight.
• The Cowboys rushed for a season-high 220 yards in last Saturday's win at Weber State and prior to that, rushed for 211 in a win over Alcorn State.
• McNeese opened the season with 200 ground yards at Tarleton State.
• The Cowboys are 2nd in the SLC and 29th in the FCS with 185.2 rushing yards per game.
• McNeese is averaging 4.5 yards per carry, also ranking it 29th in the FCS and 2nd in the SLC.
• During the 3-game winning streak, McNeese has averaged 189 ypg  and 4.8 ypc.
• In addition, McNeese has scored 13 rushing TDs on the year, ranking as the 7th-most in the FCS and 1st in the Southland Conference.
• McNeese's 4 rushing TDs at Weber State were the most on the season for the Cowboys and the 2nd most in the Southland.
 
REDZONE TRIUMPHS                          
• McNeese is ranked No. 2 in the FCS in redzone offense with 16 scores on 17 chances.
• 14 of those 16 scores have come by way of touchdowns - 12 rushing and 2 passing.
• The Cowboys are 14 for 14 in redzone scores in the 2nd half - 12 TDs, 2 FGs; and 9 for 9 in the fourth quarter - 8 TDs.
• Defensively, McNeese is 9th in the FCS in redzone defense, holding opponents to 14 scores in 21 chances - 12 TDs, 2 FGs.
 
4TH QUARTER DOMINANCE                                         
• McNeese has dominated its opponents in the fourth quarter, outscoring teams by a score of 65-13.
• Offensively in 4th quarters, McNeese has outgained opponents 714-497 in total offense, 353-292 in rushing offense, 361-199 in passing offense, and 38-23 in first downs.
• McNeese has also converted on 10 of 18 third downs in the quarter while opponents are 5-for-22.
• The Cowboys are 9-for-9 in redzone chances in the quarter, 8 TDs, while opponents are 1-for-6.
 
McDOWELL ONE OF NATION'S LEADERS FOR RUSHING TDs BY A QUARTERBACK
• Clifton McDowell's 6 rushing TDs are tied as the most in the nation by a quarterback, matching those of Montana's Keali'i Ah Yat, Beau Brungard of Youngstown State and Xzavier Vaughn of Alcorn State.
• McDowell's rushing scores are also the 6th-most overall in the FCS.