LAKE CHARLES - McNeese returns home for the first time in 36 days on Saturday when it hosts Nicholls at 2 p.m. for Homecoming.
    This will mark the earliest start for a home game since the 2021 spring season when the Cowboys kicked off their games at noon due to not having stadium lights as a result of Hurricane Laura that damaged the facilities in August 2020.
    McNeese is 60-20-1 all-time in Homecoming games and has won 12 of the last 13 outings in the annual game.
    This will be the fourth time for McNeese to host Nicholls in the Homecoming game with Nicholls winning two of the three. McNeese won the last time the two met in the annual event in 2010 by a 24-14 score.
    The Cowboys are still on track to post their first winning season since 2019.
    McNeese will hit the road for two more weekends following Saturday's game, Nov. 7 at HCU and Nov. 14 at Southeastern.
   
The Matchup
    Saturday's game will be the 51st meeting in the series between the Cowboys and Colonels with McNeese holding a 32-18 lead in the series that started back in 1972.
    Nicholls has won five straight in the series heading into Saturday's game, the longest by the Colonels in the series history.
    The Colonels won last year 31-7 in Thibodaux and has won the last two matchups in Navarre Stadium (31-10 in 2023 and 24-14 in 2021). McNeese's last win over Nicholls was by a 43-31 score in the 2021 spring season.
    In last year's game, quarterback Jake Strong completed 10 of 18 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 36 yards to lead the team.
    Kam Senegal led the Cowboys with two catches for 51 yards.
    McNeese trailed 10-7 at the half but the Colonels got a 45-yard pick six early in the third quarter then scored two, early fourth quarter touchdowns to pull away for the win.
    Nicholls rolled up 303 rushing yards in the game and 464 total while the Cowboys were held to 264 total yards.
    McNeese head coach Matt Viator is 10-1 all-time vs. the Colonels while Nicholls head coach Tommy Rybacki is 1-0 vs. McNeese.