Cowboys host Bearkats in key Southland Conference matchup

What: McNeese (2-2, 0-1) vs. Sam Houston State (2-2, 1-0)

When: Saturday, Sept. 28

Time: 6:05 p.m.

Place: Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium

TV/Stream: ESPN+

Radio: 92.9 The Lake

Live Stats: McNeeseSports.com

Series: McNeese leads 27-11-1 (14-5 at home)

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese and Sam Houston State will butt heads for the first time since the 2016 season on Saturday when the Bearkats visit Cowboy Stadium in a key Southland Conference matchup.

Kick-off is scheduled for 6:05 as the game will broadcast live on ESPN+.

The game has been declared as one of the top 10 FCS games of the week by Athlon Sports.

McNeese (2-2, 0-1 SLC) is coming off a last-second, 17-10 loss to Abilene Christian on the road last Saturday in a game that saw the Cowboys’ offense put up the most yards on the season while the defense held one of the nation’s top total and scoring offensive teams in the country to well below its season average.

Running back Elijah Mack had a breakout game with 125 yards rushing to become the first 100-yard rusher for McNeese this season as McNeese rolled up a season-high 194 yards on the ground.

The junior transfer from South Florida is ranked 10^th in the league with a 56.5 yards per game average and is eighth with 226 total rushing yards.

The Bearkats (2-2, 1-0) blew out Incarnate Word 45-6 behind the arm of quarterback Eric Schmid who completed 29 of 44 passes for 531 yards and five touchdowns. Schmid was named the league’s offensive player of the week for that performance.

Sam Houston is currently ranked No. 5 in the FCS in scoring offense (44.0 ppg) and No. 6 in the nation in total offense (505.3 ypg).

Saturday’s game is also the Hall of Fame game where five former McNeese standouts will be inducted into the Hall. Those making up the Class of 2019 are football’s Ronald Cherry and Chris Fontenot, track and field’s Samantha Chesson and Tom McGrath, and baseball’s Bill Simon.

Team

Notables:

• Saturday’s meeting will be the first time to play in Cowboy Stadium since the 2015 FCS Playoffs Second Round, a 34-29 SHSU win.
• The two teams have combined to score 50 or more points in nine straight games.
• The Cowboys’ rushing defense is ranked No. 3 in the SLC and 33^rd in the FCS with a 127.3 average.
• McNeese has won the turnover battle in three of the four games played this season and is 2-0 when not committing a turnover.
• The Cowboys are 2-0 on the year when leading at halftime and have won 45 of the last 50 games when leading at the break.
• WR Cyron Sutton’s 101 receiving yards at ACU is his second career 100-yard game and the first this season for the Cowboys.
• Sutton has made at least one catch in 13 consecutive games.
• LG Grant Burguillos will be making his 27^th consecutive start on Saturday.
• LB Carlos Scott has recorded double-digits in tackles in two straight games.
• McNeese has won its last two Southland Conference home openers and is 7-3 in the last 10.