RV/NR McNeese (0-0. 0-0 SLC) vs. #13/13 SFA (0-0, 0-0 SLC)
Saturday, August 29, 2026 • 6 p.m.
Louis Bonnette Field at Navarre Stadium • Lake Charles, La.
 
Broadcast Information:
TV: ESPN+ (LINK) - Chaston Tavares (PxP), Cody Stroud (Analyst), Lexi Arabie (Sideline Reporter)
Radio: 92.9 The Lake and 929thelake.com (Link) – Tom Hoefer (PxP), Mark Young (Analyst)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast (Link)
Media Central: (Link)
Tickets: (Link)
 
McNeese opens 2026 season against defending Southland champions
 
LAKE CHARLES - McNeese will kick-off the 2026 regular season and Southland Conference slate in the same night when the Cowboys host 13th-ranked Stephen F. Austin inside Navarre Stadium.
 
Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and also the McNeese Radio Network (92.9 The Lake and 929thelake.com).
 
McNeese is coming off a 2025 season that saw the return of Matt Viator at the helm, the school's all-time winningest coach. The Cowboys won four of their last six games including a win at 19th-ranked Lamar in the season finale.
 
SFA posted a 11-3 mark last season with an unblemished 8-0 league record. The Lumberjacks defeated Abilene Christian in the second round of the FCS playoffs before falling 44-28 to eventual national champion Montana State in the quarterfinals. SFA defeated McNeese 34-17 in last year's league opening game.
 
A LOOK AT 2026
McNeese returns 71% of its total offensive output from last season (3,238 of the 4,552 total yards).
   
Quarterback Jake Strong is McNeese's first returning quarterback since Cody Orgeron (2019-21). Strong threw for 2,008 yards and rushed for another 469 for 2,477 total offensive output and a 225.2 average. His 2,008 passing yards ranked as the 10th-most in a season in school history. He also accounted for 18 total touchdowns (11 passing and 7 rushing).
   
Strong threw for 200 yards or more four times on the year and had a high of 329 in the season opener against Louisiana Christian. He also rushed for 100 yards or more twice (108 vs. HCU; 136 at ETAM).
   
He rushed for 404 of his 469 yards in his final five games played, missing the season finale at Lamar due to an injury.
   
Running back Tre'Vonte Citizen is back after ranking second on the team last year with 503 rushing yards and four TDs. He ran for a season-high 117 yards against Weber State.
   
Joining Citizen in the backfield are FBS transfers Omiri Wiggins (Louisiana Tech) and Hutch Swilley (ULL) as well as returning freshman Marquez Davis. Wiggins ran for 995 yards and eight touchdowns in the last two years at Louisiana Tech.
 
The offensive line looks to be the deepest in years with 19 players up front and a rotation that could see 8-10 and in the wideout room, Curtis Deville has put on quite an impressive performance in preseason camp. He'll be joined by returners Makhi Paris and Kam Senegal as well as youngster Jamaal Levi.
 
Defensively, safety Javon Davis returns for his final season and coming off a year where he ranked tied for the team lead with three pass interceptions and a team-high five break-ups. He ended the season with 36 total tackles. Davis is one of three defensive backs who started every game last season (Jermaine Hargraves and Mason Edwards).
   
The Cowboys return both starting linebackers - Landon Barrett (71 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3 sacks) and Emauri Sibley (60 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2 sacks).
 
McNeese brought in some experience out of the portal to help load the defensive line depth, including Lamar transfer and starting end Royce Maloles and HCU transfer Sean Dubose, who played two seasons at Abilene Christian as well.
 
The Aug. 29 start is the earliest for a conference game in both team's history.
 
McNeese vs. SFA - The Series
• Saturday will mark the 42nd meeting between the Cowboys and Lumberjacks with McNeese holding a 23-16-2 lead in a series that saw its first contest in 1951.
• The teams met regularly as conference opponents from 1987-2019 before SFA left the Southland to join the WAC.
• The two restarted the series in 2024 when the Lumberjacks returned to the league. McNeese won that game by a 28-24 score in Lake Charles.
• McNeese is 13-6-1 against SFA in games played in Lake Charles and 11-6-1 in Navarre Stadium.
• The Cowboys have won two straight at home against the Lumberjacks... SFA's last win in Navarre Stadium came on Sept. 17, 2016 by way of a 31-28 victory.
 
McNeese in the Southland Conference
• McNeese, now in its 55th season in the Southland Conference, is 211-127-7 all-time in SLC games, a league record for wins by any member, past or present.
• The Cowboys own a league-record 14 conference championships and have made 16 playoff appearances, also a conference record.
 
Cowboy Graduates
• A total of 10 Cowboys have already earned their Bachelor's Degree - LB Landon Barrett, OL Tyler Carlson, RB Tre'Vonte Citizen, WR Curtis Deville, DB Mason Edwards, DL James Kate, WR Solo Lewis, OL Elijah Melendez, OL Blake Perry, and LB Emauri Sibley.