LOGAN, Utah – McNeese will take its first true road trip of the season this weekend when it travels to Logan, Utah to face the Utah State Aggies out of the Mountain West Conference.
 
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time (6 MT) and the game will broadcast live on the Mountain West Network for no charge. It'll also air on the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake and 929thelake.com).
 
McNeese (1-2) is coming off a thrilling 42-41 loss to Weber State in a game that saw the Cowboys rally from 21 points down with under 10 minutes to play. A 19-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Jake Strong pulled McNeese to within one point with 42 seconds remaining but on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, Strong's pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage to preserve the win for the Wildcats.
 
Utah State (2-1) defeated Air Force 49-30 last week to improve to 2-0 at home. The lone Aggies' loss was to another Aggies team, 44-22 at Texas A&M in week two of the season.
 
The Aggies, who are coached by Bronco Mendenhall, will compete in the Pac 12 next season.
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Time: 7:00 p.m. Central Time
TV: Mountain West Network (Link) Free Stream
Radio: 92.9 The Lake and 929thelake.com (Link) – Tom Hoefer (PxP)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (Link)
Media Hub (Link)
 
GAME OVERVIEW
• McNeese will close out the non-conference part of its schedule on Saturday when it visits Utah State out of the Mountain West Conference.
• This will be the second FBS opponent for the Cowboys this season (L 34-10 at Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 6).
• It's the first time since the 2012 season McNeese has played two FBS games in the same season (def. Middle Tennessee 27-21, lost at UTSA 31-24), and only the fifth time ever.
• The Cowboys (1-2) are coming off a thrilling 42-41 loss at home to Weber State in a game that saw them trail 42-21 midway through the fourth quarter only to score with 46 seconds remaining to pull to within one point... a batted down pass on the 2-point conversion for the win thwarted the miraculous comeback.
• Utah State began conference play last weekend with a 49-30 win over Air Force.
 
JAKE STRONG NAMED SLC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Following a remarkable outing against Weber State where he rolled up 323 total offensive yards and four touchdowns, McNeese quarterback Jake Strong has been voted as this week's Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.
• Strong led an incredible comeback effort in McNeese's 42-41 loss to Weber State on Saturday night when the Cowboys trailed 42-21 with nine minutes to play in the game... his 19-yard scramble for a touchdown with 42 seconds remaining pulled the Cowboys' to within 42-41 while his pass to an open receiver on the two-point conversion for the win was knocked down at the line of scrimmage.
 
QUICK HITS                                        
• Running back Coleby Hamm is expected to return on Saturday… Hamm started in week one vs. Louisiana Christian but was injured in the game and has missed the last two outings.
• Jake Strong became the first QB in McNeese history to throw for 300 yards in making a debut when he finished with 329 in a season-opening win over Louisiana Christian.
• The Cowboys set a new school record with 664 total offensive yards in the opener... those yards currently ranks as the 5th-most in a game in the FCS this season.
• 6.8 yards per rush set a new school record in season openers with a minimum of 20 carries.
• The 31 points scored in the second quarter against LCU tied as the second-most scored in a quarter in school history, matching the 31 scored in the 2nd against South Florida in 2013 in a 53-21 McNeese win... the record is 35 points scored in the 2nd quarter in a 59-28 win at Central Arkansas, also in 2013.
• 359 passing yards were the 2nd-most in school history in a season opener (361 vs. West Florida to open the 2021 season).
• Head coach Matt Viator became the school's all-time winningest coach against La. Christian, notching his 79th win at McNeese and 98th of his career.
• Safety Shoes Brinkley has recorded double-digits tackles in back-to-back games (10 at ULL, 11 vs. Weber State).
• RB Tre'Vonte Citizen ran for a career-high 117 yards against Weber State and scored on a 79-yard jaunt, the 10th-longest rushing TD in school history.
• WR Jonathan Harris recorded career highs against WSU with 7 catches for 114 yards and 2 TDs.
• DE Phillip Bradford leads the SLC and is tied for 5th in the FCS with six tackles for a loss and a 2.0 TFL average.
• TE Logan Mauldin is the No. 1 tight end in the FCS in yards per reception with 25.3 which also ranks him tied for 3rd among all receivers.
• Mauldin's 152 receiving yards ranks as the 4th-most in the FCS among tight ends.
 
MAULDIN ADDS CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR TO BIO             
• McNeese tight end Logan Mauldin is a children's book author, having had two books published before he was 14-years old. By the time he was 9, he had his first book "Life of a King" self-published by his mother, and when he was 13, published his second book "Step Up Your Game." In addition, he and his mother, Angela, began to help others through reading and writing, and together, they started If You Can Write You Can Read, a program for kids. He plans to continue writing when his football days are over. His books are available on Amazon.
 
SUCCESS AGAINST THE FBS                  
• Up until 2014, McNeese was at the FCS fore-front for most wins over FBS teams until it was overtaken by North Dakota State.
• Since 2000, McNeese has compiled a 6-23 record against the FBS and hasn't defeated a team from the highest division since 2013 (53-21 win at South Florida which is still an NCAA record for largest win by FCS over FBS).
• McNeese has posted some near misses as well - L, 30-22 at UL in 2016; L, 31-24 at Nebraska in 2014; L, 31-24 at UTSA in 2012; L, 42-32 at Tulane in 2009; L, 35-27 at North Carolina in 2008; L, 38-24 at Texas A&M in 2001.