McNeese announces fall football schedule featuring LSU, Southern, SLC rivals

LAKE CHARLES – Five home games and road contests at LSU and Southern, highlight McNeese’s 2021 fall football schedule.

In addition, the Cowboys will play an eight-game Southland Conference slate in the new-look league with home-and-home matchups against Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana and Incarnate Word.

“This is an exciting time with the shape of the new Southland Conference and we’re excited to be playing football back in the fall,” said athletic director Heath Schroyer. “We’re looking forward to extending the nation’s longest fall season winning streak.”

McNeese will open up the season at home on September 4 against 2019 NCAA Division II National Champion West Florida. The Argonauts, a member of the Gulf South Conference, a Division II power league, did not play a 2020 season but in 2019, posted a 13-2 record while winning the national title.

The Cowboys will then play three straight games away from home starting on Sept. 11 at LSU. McNeese will make a return trip to Baton Rouge the next week when it visits Southern (Sept. 18) then will open up conference play at UIW on Sept. 25.

McNeese and LSU will take the field together for the first time since the 2015 season when the game was canceled due to the weather early in the first quarter. The Cowboys defeated Southern 34-28 to open up the 2019 season.

Following the league opener at UIW, the Cowboys will return home to host Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 2 in the first of two matchups with the Lions. McNeese will make a return trip on Oct. 30 to Hammond.

October 9 will serve as the open date before the Cowboys visit Northwestern State on Oct. 16. Incarnate Word will make a return trip to Cowboy Stadium on Oct. 23 for Homecoming, then after the Oct. 30 visit to SLU, McNeese will host Nicholls on Nov. 6 before closing out the last two weeks at HBU (Nov. 13) and at home vs. Northwestern State on Nov. 20.

“There’s a lot of excitement about Cowboy Football and rightfully so,” said Schroyer. “The spring season really helped us learn a lot about ourselves, play competitive teams and get ready for the first true football season under Coach Wilson. I couldn’t be more excited about the direction of Cowboy football and for the first kick-off.”

Information about season tickets will be announced at a later date.

2021 McNeese Football Schedule
Sept. 4 WEST FLORIDA
Sept. 11 at LSU
Sept. 18 at Southern
Sept. 25 *at Incarnate Word
Oct. 2 *SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
Oct. 9 OPEN
Oct. 16 *at Northwestern State
Oct. 23 *INCARNATE WORD (Homecoming)
Oct. 30 *at Southeastern Louisiana
Nov. 6 *NICHOLLS
Nov. 13 *at HBU
Nov. 20 *NORTHWESTERN STATE