2023 McNeese Cowboys football team

Last updated

2023 McNeese Cowboys football
McNeese Athletics logo.svg
Conference Southland Conference
Record0–10 (1–6 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorAdam Neugebauer (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorTony Pecoraro (2nd season)
Home stadium Cowboy Stadium
Seasons
  2022
2024  
2023 Southland Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Nicholls $^  7 0   6 5  
No. 22 Incarnate Word  6 1   8 2  
Lamar  5 2   6 5  
Houston Christian  4 3   5 5  
Southeastern Louisiana  3 4   3 8  
Texas A&M–Commerce *  2 5   1 9  
McNeese  1 6   0 10  
Northwestern State **  0 2   0 6  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ FCS playoff participant
  • * – Texas A&M–Commerce ineligible for FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II.
    ** – Northwestern State canceled its season on October 26.
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2023 McNeese Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Gary Goff, the Cowboys played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Contents

Preseason

Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Cowboys were picked to finish third in the conference. [1]

Preseason All–Southland Teams

The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. McNeese had a total of 4 players selected. [2]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 27:00 p.m. Tarleton State * ESPN+ L 34–5212,074
September 96:30 p.m.at Florida * ESPNU L 7–4988,163
September 166:00 p.m.at Alcorn State *L 3–172,052
September 232:00 p.m.at Eastern Illinois *ESPN+L 28–316,565
September 307:00 p.m. Nicholls
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+L 10–319,148
October 77:00 p.m.at Texas A&M–Commerce ESPN+L 10–414,817
October 217:00 p.m.No. 5 Incarnate Word
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+L 24–357,415
October 287:00 p.m. Northwestern State Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA (rivalry)
ESPN+W 2–0 (forfeit) [3]
November 43:00 p.m.at Southeastern Louisiana ESPN+L 24–383,228
November 117:00 p.m. Houston Christian
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+L 24–356,724
November 183:00 p.m. Lamar ESPN+L 27–525,683
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[4] [5]

Game summaries

at Florida (FBS)

Previous meeting
First Meeting
Game Two – McNeese Cowboys (0–1) at Florida Gators (FBS) (0–1) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
McNeese00077
Florida131316749

at Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida

  • Date: September 9
  • Game time: 7:35 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 88,163
  • Referee: Wayne Winkler
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline reporter) [6]
  • Boxscore
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:59) FLA – Montrell Johnson Jr. 2-yard run (pass failed) (Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:54; Florida 6-0)
  • (0:28) FLA – Graham Mertz 1-yard run (Adam Mihalek kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 99 yards, 5:28; Florida 13-0)
Second quarter
  • (7:04) FLA – Treyaun Webb 2-yard run (pass failed) (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:15; Florida 19-0)
  • (0:34) FLA – Trevor Etienne 8-yard run (Adam Mihalek kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 3:53; Florida 26-0)
Third quarter
  • (9:27) FLA – Montrell Johnson Jr. 8-yard run (Adam Mihalek kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:57; Florida 33-0)
  • (3:45) FLA – Ricky Pearsall 50-yard pass from Graham Mertz (Adam Mihalek kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 84 yards, 2:41; Florida 40-0)
  • (2:54) FLA – Jamari Lyons 0-yard safety (Florida 42-0)
Fourth quarter
  • (13:00) FLA – Treyaun Webb 5-yard run (Trey Smack kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:54; Florida 49-0)
  • (2:24) MCN – Coleby Hamm 8-yard run (Garrison Smith kick) (Drive: 1 play, 8 yards, 0:09; Florida 49-7)
StatisticsMCNFLA
First downs633
Total yards40–11274–560
Rushing yards26–4651–327
Passing yards66233
Passing: Comp–Att–Int7–14–018–23–0
Time of possession23:5136:09
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassingNate Glantz6/13, 62 yards
RushingD'Angelo Durham11 carries, 45 yards
ReceivingJon McCall1 reception, 18 yards
FloridaPassingGraham Mertz14/17, 193 yards, TD
RushingMontrell Johnson Jr.15 carries, 119 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingRicky Pearsall6 receptions, 123 yards, TD

Postseason All–Southland Teams

The Southland Conference announced the 2023 all-conference football team selections on November 22, 2023. Three McNeese players were selected. [7]

References

  1. "Southeastern Voted Top Spot in 2023 Southland Football Preseason Poll". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  2. "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Team". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  3. Kasabian, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Northwestern State Cancels Football Season, HC Resigns After Ronnie Caldwell's Death". Bleacher Report . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  4. "McNeese Cowboys Schedule 2023". ESPN . Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  5. "2023 Football Schedule". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  6. McNeese Pregame|
  7. James Hill (November 22, 2023). "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Football Team and Superlatives". Southland Conference. Retrieved November 22, 2023.