Cowboys ranked Nos. 18, 20 in polls

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese moved up one spot in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll to No. 18 while holding steady at No. 20 in the STATS Top 25 poll after Saturday’s 55-7 Southland Conference win over Incarnate Word to improve to 6-1 on the season and 4-1 in league play.

Central Arkansas (6-1, 5-0), the Cowboys’ opponent on Saturday, moved to No. 4 in both polls to mark its highest ranking ever as a Division I program as it sits alone atop the conference standings but are closely followed by four teams with one league loss – McNeese, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls.

The Bears were ranked No. 1 several times when a member of the NAIA prior to the 1990s.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is slated for 6:05 p.m. in Conway. It is also UCA’s Homecoming game. General admission tickets for McNeese fans are currently on sale for $15 at the McNeese ticket office. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN3.

Billed as the Red Beans & Rice Bowl, this will be the sixth consecutive meeting with at least one team being ranked in the polls, and the third time with both teams ranked.

Last year UCA, ranked No. 22 at the time, shutout the Cowboys 35-0 in Cowboy Stadium.

The top five teams in each poll are identical – James Madison, North Dakota State, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State.

FCS Coaches Top 25
1. James Madison (7-0)
2. North Dakota State (7-0)
3. Jacksonville State (6-1)
4. Central Arkansas (6-1)
5. Sam Houston State (6-1)
6. North Carolina A&T (8-0)
7. South Dakota (6-1)
T8. Samford (5-2)
T8. South Dakota State (5-2)
10. Wofford (6-1)
11. Elon (6-1)
12. Eastern Washington (5-3)
13. Grambling (6-1)
14. Western Illinois (5-2)
15. Villanova (4-3)
16. New Hampshire (5-2)
17. Richmond (4-3)
18. McNeese (6-1)
19. Youngstown State (3-4)
20. Western Carolina (6-2)
21. Illinois State (5-2)
22. Weber State (5-2)
23. Nicholls (5-2)
24. Northern Arizona (5-2)
25. Northern Iowa (4-3)

STATS Media Top 25
1. James Madison (7-0)
2. North Dakota State (7-0)
3. Jacksonville State (6-1)
4. Central Arkansas (6-1)
5. Sam Houston State (6-1)
6. South Dakota (6-1)
7. North Carolina A&T (8-0)
8. Wofford (6-1)
9. Samford (5-2)
10. Elon (6-1)
11. South Dakota State (5-2)
12. Western Illinois (5-2)
13. Villanova (4-3)
14. Eastern Washington (5-3)
15. Grambling (6-1)
16. Illinois State (5-2)
17. New Hampshire (5-2)
18. Western Carolina (6-2)
19. Richmond (4-3)
20. McNeese (6-1)
21. Youngstown State (3-4)
22. Stony Brook (5-2)
23. Delaware (5-2)
24. Montana (5-2)
25. Southern Utah (5-2)