2025 McNeese Cowboys football team

Last updated

2025 McNeese Cowboys football
McNeese Athletics logo.svg
Conference Southland Conference
Record2–5 (1–2 SLC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTyler Bolfing (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorKyle Segler (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorTony Pecoraro (4th season)
Home stadium Cowboy Stadium
Seasons
  2024
2026 
2025 Southland Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 15 Lamar  3 0   6 1  
Southeastern Louisiana  3 0   5 2  
No. 24 Stephen F. Austin  3 0   5 2  
East Texas A&M  2 1   2 5  
UT Rio Grande Valley  1 2   5 2  
Houston Christian  1 2   2 5  
McNeese  1 2   2 5  
Nicholls  1 2   1 6  
Incarnate Word  0 3   2 5  
Northwestern State  0 3   1 6  
As of October 21, 2025
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2025 McNeese Cowboys football team represents McNeese State University in the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cowboys play their home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and compete in the Southland Conference. They are led by eleventh-year head coach Matt Viator, who is back as head coach after previously coaching the Cowboys from 2006 to 2015.

Contents

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 306:00 pm Louisiana Christian * ESPN+ W 54–911,279
September 67:00 pmat Louisiana *ESPN+L 10–3426,071
September 136:00 pm Weber State *
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+L 41–4211,702
September 207:00 pmat Utah State * KMYU L 7–4816,273
September 277:00 pmat Stephen F. Austin ESPN+L 17–3410,684
October 46:00 pm Southeastern Louisiana
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+L 0–389,207
October 186:00 pm Houston Christian Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+W 27–010,339
October 253:00 pmat Nicholls ESPN+
November 16:00 pm Northwestern State
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA (rivalry)
ESPN+
November 84:00 pmat East Texas A&M ESPN+
November 156:00 pm UT Rio Grande Valley
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
ESPN+
November 223:00 pmat Lamar ESPN+
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • All times are in Central time

[1]

Game summaries

Louisiana Christian (NAIA)

Louisiana Christian Wildcats (NAIA) (0–0) at McNeese Cowboys (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Wildcats (NAIA)36009
Cowboys7317954

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: August 30
  • Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 81 °F (27 °C) • Wind: NE 7 mph
  • Game attendance: 11,279
  • Referee: Austin Mezzacasa
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Jeff Palermo (play-by-play), Chaston Tavares (analyst) and Rylie Eyster (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (12:03) LCU – Levi Hilborn 46-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 17 yards, 1:49; Louisiana Christian 3–0)
  • (5:00) MCN – Bryce Strong 7-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:03; McNeese 7–3)
Second quarter
  • (14:00) MCN – Fabrizio Pinton 38-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:03; McNeese 10–3)
  • (9:07) MCN – Coleby Hamm 5-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:57; McNeese 17–3)
  • (7:12) LCU – Bryce Perkins 4-yard run (Drive: 7 plays, 49 yards, 1:46; McNeese 17–9)
  • (4:45) MCN – Tre'Vonte Citizen 21-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 5 plays, 57 yards, 2:20; McNeese 24–9)
  • (3:09) MCN – Jonathan Harris 15-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 3 plays, 47 yards, 0:53; McNeese 31–9)
  • (0:14) MCN – Jessie Campbell 11-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 6 plays, 96 yards, 1:19; McNeese 38–9)
Third quarter
  • (2:58) MCN – Bryce Strong 5-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 4:59; McNeese 45–9)
Fourth quarter
  • (7:54) MCN – Marquez Davis 12-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 4:35; McNeese 52–9)
  • (7:02) MCN – 0-yard safety (McNeese 54–9)
StatisticsLCUMCN
First downs1039
Total yards141664
Rushing yards19305
Passing yards122359
Turnovers11
Time of possession22:0337:57
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Louisiana ChristianPassingPhillip Jones II6/15, 65 yards
RushingJaterrius Johnson6 carries, 45 yards
ReceivingEdward Scott Jr.4 receptions, 51 yards
McNeesePassingJake Strong22/28, 329 yards, 3 TD
RushingMarquez Davis12 carries, 97 yards, TD
ReceivingLogan Mauldin3 receptions, 86 yards

at Louisiana (FBS, Cajun Crown)

McNeese Cowboys (1–0) at Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (FBS) (0–1) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys703010
Ragin' Cajuns (FBS)71001734

at Cajun Field, Lafayette, Louisiana

  • Date: September 6
  • Game time: 7:00 PM CDT
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 89 °F (32 °C) • Wind: SW 5 mph
  • Game attendance: 26,071
  • Referee: Marshall Lewis
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Dan McDonald (play-by-play), Eric Mouton (analyst) and Ben Schafer (sideline)
Game information
First Quarter
  • (12:58) UL – Bill Davis 6-yard run, Tony Sterner kick (Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 1:54; Louisiana 7–0)
  • (10:08) MCN – Devin Lippold 2-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:42; Tied 7–7)
Second Quarter
  • (1:06) UL – Bill Davis 36-yard run, Tony Sterner kick (Drive: 6 plays, 91 yards, 0:47; Louisiana 14–7)
  • (0:00) UL – Tony Sterner 38-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 0:39; Louisiana 17–7)
Third Quarter
  • (11:50) MCN – Fabrizio Pinton 45-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 3:10; Louisiana 17–10)
Fourth Quarter
  • (10:41) UL – Tony Sterner 37-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 65 yards, 6:19; Louisiana 20–10)
  • (3:48) UL – Landon Baptiste 10-yard pass from Daniel Beale, Tony Sterner kick (Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 5:46; Louisiana 27–10)
  • (1:39) UL – Steven Blanco 34-yard run, Tony Sterner kick (Drive: 1 play, 34 yards, 0:03; Louisiana 34–10)
StatisticsMCNUL
First downs1425
Total yards238401
Rushing yards47315
Passing yards19186
Turnovers20
Time of possession25:4334:17
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassingJake Strong19/30, 191 yards, INT
RushingBryce Strong7 carries, 17 yards
ReceivingJoshua Jackson4 receptions, 83 yards
LouisianaPassingDaniel Beale14/22, 86 yards, TD
RushingBill Davis19 carries, 132 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingKeDarius Wade1 reception, 19 yards

Weber State

Weber State Wildcats (0–2) at McNeese Cowboys (1–1) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Wildcats71471442
Cowboys07142041

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: September 13
  • Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 92 °F (33 °C) • Wind: SE at 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 11,702
  • Referee: Gary Leeper
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Jeff Palermo (play-by-play), Chaston Tavares (analyst) and Rylee Eyster (sideline)
Game information
First Quarter
  • (5:06) WEB – Jayleen Record 78-yard pass from Jackson Gilkey, Sloan Calder kick (Drive: 2 plays, 79 yards, 0:42; Weber State 7–0)
Second Quarter
  • (14:46) WEB – Jackson Gilkey 50-yard run, Sloan Calder kick (Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 1:56; Weber State 14–0)
  • (13:23) MCN – Bryce Strong 68-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:23; Weber State 14–7)
  • (0:21) WEB – Sloan Calder 10-yard run, Sloan Calder kick (Drive: 13 plays, 70 yards, 4:38; Weber State 21–7)
Third Quarter
  • (12:02) MCN – Jonathan Harris 57-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:25; Weber State 21–14)
  • (5:48) WEB – Davion Godley 2-yard run, Sloan Calder kick (Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards, 3:14; Weber State 28–14)
  • (2:21) MCN – Jake Strong 5-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 3:19; Weber State 28–21)
Fourth Quarter
  • (11:05) WEB – Davion Godley 12-yard run, Sloan Calder kick (Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 6:11; Weber State 35–21)
  • (9:45) WEB – BJ Carey 0-yard interception, Sloan Calder kick (Weber State 42–21)
  • (9:04) MCN – Tre'Vonte Citizen 79-yard run, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 2 plays, 88 yards, 0:41; Weber State 42–28)
  • (4:56) MCN – Jonathan Harris 3-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 2:45; Weber State 42–35)
  • (0:42) MCN – Jake Strong 19-yard run (Drive: 8 plays, 82 yards, 1:32; Weber State 42–41)
StatisticsWEBMCN
First downs2121
Total yards447537
Rushing yards229259
Passing yards218278
Turnovers22
Time of possession32:4327:17
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Weber StatePassingJackson Gilkey11/20, 218 yards, TD, 2 INT
RushingJackson Gilkey15 carries, 114 yards, TD
ReceivingJayleen Record1 reception, 78 yards, TD
McNeesePassingJake Strong20/39, 278 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
RushingTre'Vonte Citizen11 carries, 117 yards, TD
ReceivingJonathan Harris7 receptions, 114 yards, 2 TD

at Utah State (FBS)

McNeese Cowboys (1–2) at Utah State Aggies (FBS) (2–1) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys07007
Aggies (FBS)132114048

at Maverik Stadium, Logan, Utah

  • Date: September 20
  • Game time: 7:00 PM CDT
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 76 °F (24 °C) • Wind: N 4 mph
  • Game attendance: 16,273
  • Referee: Brad Carrell
  • TV announcers (KMYU): Dave Fox (play-by-play), Alema Harrington (analyst) and Frank Dolce (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (5:46) USU – Kahanu Davis 45-yard pass from Bryson Barnes (Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:03; Utah State 6–0)
  • (3:54) USU – Brady Boyd 53-yard pass from Bryson Barnes, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 2 plays, 58 yards, 0:37; Utah State 13–0)
Second quarter
  • (7:55) USU – Miles Davis 30-yard run, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 4 plays, 46 yards, 1:02; Utah State 20–0)
  • (5:59) MCN – Jonathan Harris 20-yard pass from Jake Strong, Fabrizio Pinton kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:56; Utah State 20–7)
  • (1:33) USU – Bryson Barnes 3-yard run, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:26; Utah State 27–7)
  • (0:22) USU – Javen Jacobs 1-yard run, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 0:43; Utah State 34–7)
Third quarter
  • (9:37) USU – Bryson Barnes 21-yard run, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:03; Utah State 41–7)
  • (3:34) USU – Brady Boyd 9-yard pass from Bryson Barnes, Tanner Rinker kick (Drive: 4 plays, 89 yards, 1:50; Utah State 48–7)
Fourth quarter

No scoring plays

StatisticsMCNUSU
First downs1327
Total yards239627
Rushing yards109334
Passing yards130293
Turnovers02
Time of possession28:4631:14
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassingJake Strong7/23, 89 yards, TD
RushingTre'Vonte Citizen12 carries, 71 yards
ReceivingJonathan Harris1 reception, 20 yards, TD
Utah StatePassing Bryson Barnes 19/27, 293 yards, 3 TD, INT
RushingBryson Barnes13 carries, 128 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingBraden Pegan3 receptions, 95 yards

at Stephen F. Austin

McNeese Cowboys (1–3) at Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (2–2) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys703717
Lumberjacks014101034

at Homer Bryce Stadium, Nacogdoches, Texas

  • Date: September 27
  • Game time: 7:00 PM CDT
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Rob Myers (play-by-play) and Hunter Taylor (analyst)
StatisticsMCNSFA
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving
Stephen F. AustinPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Southeastern Louisiana

Southeastern Louisiana Lions (3–2) at McNeese Cowboys (1–4) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions14240038
Cowboys00000

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: October 4
  • Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Jeff Palermo (play-by-play) and Chaston Tavares (analyst)
StatisticsSELAMCN
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Southeastern LouisianaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving

Houston Christian

Houston Christian Huskies (2–4) at McNeese Cowboys (1–5) – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Huskies0
Cowboys0

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: October 18
  • Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
StatisticsHCUMCN
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Houston ChristianPassing
Rushing
Receiving
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Nicholls

McNeese Cowboys (2–5) at Nicholls Colonels (1–6) – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Cowboys0
Colonels0

at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium, Thibodaux, Louisiana

  • Date: October 25
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsMCNNICH
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving
NichollsPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Northwestern State (rivalry)

Northwestern State Demons at McNeese Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Demons0
Cowboys0

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: November 1
  • Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsNWSTMCN
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern StatePassing
Rushing
Receiving
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving

at East Texas A&M

McNeese Cowboys at East Texas A&M Lions – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Cowboys0
Lions0

at Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium, Commerce, Texas

  • Date: November 8
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsMCNETAM
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving
East Texas A&MPassing
Rushing
Receiving

UT Rio Grande Valley

UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros at McNeese Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Vaqueros0
Cowboys0

at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, Louisiana

  • Date: November 15
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsRGVMCN
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
UT Rio Grande ValleyPassing
Rushing
Receiving
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Lamar (Battle of the Border)

McNeese Cowboys at Lamar Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter12Total
Cowboys0
Cardinals0

at Provost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, Texas

  • Date: November 22
  • Game time: 3:00 PM CST
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsMCNLAM
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeesePassing
Rushing
Receiving
LamarPassing
Rushing
Receiving

References

  1. "2025 Football Schedule". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved February 6, 2025.