What: McNeese (6-5, 3-3) vs. Lamar (6-5, 3-3)
When: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Time: 7 p.m.
Where: Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium • Lake Charles, La.
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Radio: 92.9 The Lake
Live Stats: LINK
Tickets: LINK
 
LAKE CHARLES – McNeese will close out the 2024 season on Saturday night when it hosts Lamar for the annual Battle of the Border trophy game with a lot on the line in the process.
 
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Cowboy Stadium. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ (Jeff Palermo and Chaston Tavares) and on the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake and 929thelake.com with Tom Hoefer).
 
McNeese (6-5, 3-3 SLC) is looking to wrap up its first winning season since finishing 7-5 in 2019. A win will also clinch an unbeaten season in Cowboy Stadium, the first 2017, and the 16^th overall. On top of that, a victory will clinch at least a tie for third place in the Southland Conference standings which will be the highest finish since 2017.
 
Lamar (6-5, 3-3) has a lot on the line as well as the Cardinals will be looking to post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 60 years.
 
KICK-OFF NOTES
• McNeese's win over Northwestern State was the 525th in the 81-year history of the program.
• The Cowboys' next win in Cowboy Stadium will be the 225th in the venue's 60-year history.
• With a 35-point outing at Northwestern State last Saturday, McNeese has scored 30 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2021 season (L, 38-35 vs. SLU on Oct. 2; W, 35-17 at NSU on Oct. 16).
• The Cowboys have recorded 400 yards or more of offense in three straight games (401 at Nicholls, 401 vs. ETAM, 440 at Northwestern State) and seven times this season clipping the 400-yard mark.
• McNeese's running game has put up 300 yards or more in two straight games.
• The Cowboys' defense recorded 14 tackles for a loss against NSU, the most since getting 13 against Arkansas Tech in the 2014 season.
• RB Joshon Barbie has rushed for 100 yards or more in three straight games and is coming off a career-high 139-yard outing against Northwestern State.
• Barbie and RB Bryce Strong have each rushed for 100 yards or more in two straight games.
• Barbie has had at least one rush of 30 yards or more in four straight games, and 15 yards or more in 7 straight.
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. LAMAR
• Saturday's game will be the 42nd meeting in the all-time series with McNeese holding a 28-12-1 lead.
• The teams have alternated victories the last six seasons with Lamar winning last year by a 52-27 score in Beaumont.
• Since Lamar restarted the program in 2010, McNeese has won nine of the 13 matchups.
• McNeese is 14-8 against Lamar all-time in Cowboy Stadium and won the last time the two met in The Hole, 24-20, to close out the 2022 season.
 
McNEESE TO HONOR SENIORS          
• McNeese will recognize 12 seniors in a pregame ceremony which will include: Thomas Miles, Cole Leclair, Yusef Leak, Tyler Larco, Jaylen Jackson, Marques White, Earenest Grayson, Reggie Ellis, David Duvall, D'Angelo Durham, Tristan Driggers, and Dylan Dauzart.
• Dauzart, Grayson and Miles have played their entire career at McNeese while Durham, Leclair and Jackson are wrapping up a three-year McNeese career.
 
HOME SWEET HOME                          
• McNeese is 4-0 at home this season and looking to finish unbeaten in The Hole for the 16th time in school history and the first time since 2017.
• In home games this season, McNeese is outscoring its opponents 122-48, a 30.5-12.0 average.
• That scoring total includes a 63-21 second half scoring advantage and 35-0 in the fourth quarter.
• A win on Saturday night will be the 225th in the 60-year history of Cowboy Stadium.
 
BARBIE & STRONG PLAYING LIKE THUNDER & LIGHTNING         
• The McNeese running back duo of Joshon Barbie and Bryce Strong have become one of, if not, the top RB backfield in the Southland Conference.
• The two have each recorded 100-yard games in two straight contests.
• Barbie has rushed for 100 or more three straight games while Strong has two consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
• In the SLC rankings, Barbie is ranked 6th with a 67.0 average (737 total) while Strong is 9th with a 43.8 average (350 total).
• Barbie has recorded 24 plays on the year where he gained 10-yards or more (22 rushing and 2 receiving) while Strong has nine plays with a gain of 10 yards or more (7 rushing, 2 receiving).
 
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
• McNeese's offense has produced 165 plays that have gained 10 or more yards on the season.
• Included are 48 plays that have gained 20 or more yards.
• The most 10-plus yard plays in a game were 20 against Alcorn State (11 passing and 9 rushing).
• The Cowboys recorded 17 plays when Gaining 10 yards or more against Northwestern State in the last outing.