2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team

2013 McNeese State Cowboys football
FCS Playoffs Second Round, L 10–31 vs. Jacksonville State
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 11
FCS Coaches	No. 9
2013 record	10–3 (6–1 Southland)
Head coach	Matt Viator (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Tim Leger (7th season)
Defensive coordinator	Lance Guidry (1st season)
Home stadium	Cowboy Stadium (Capacity: 17,610)
Seasons ← 2012 2014 →

2013 Southland Conference football standings
v t	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana $^		7	–	0					11	–	3
No. 11 McNeese State ^		6	–	1					10	–	3
No. 14 Sam Houston State ^		4	–	3					9	–	5
Central Arkansas		4	–	3					7	–	5
Northwestern State		3	–	4					6	–	6
Lamar		2	–	5					5	–	7
Nicholls State		1	–	6					4	–	8
Stephen F. Austin		1	–	6					3	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cowboys were led by eighth-year head coach Matt Viator and played their home games at Cowboy Stadium. They were a member of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 10–3, 6–1 in Southland play to finish in second place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they lost in the second round to Jacksonville State.

Media[]

All McNeese State games were broadcast on Gator 99.5 FM. KVHP 30.2 is the local affiliate for SLC TV and aired McNeese State games on SLC TV.

Schedule[]

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 pm	at South Florida*		Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	ESPN3	W 53–21	35,470
September 7	7:30 pm	Arkansas-Pine Bluff*	No. 18	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	CSNH	W 58–14	15,217
September 14	7:00 pm	West Alabama*	No. 13	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		W 44–42	10,107
September 21	7:00 pm	Weber State*	No. 12	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		W 43–6	8,893
September 28	4:00 pm	at No. 5 Northern Iowa*	No. 9	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA		L 6–41	12,325
October 5	3:00 pm	at No. 14 Central Arkansas	No. 11	Estes Stadium Conway, AR (Red Beans and Rice Bowl)	SLCTV	W 59–28	10,247
October 19	7:00 pm	No. 2 Sam Houston State	No. 9	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	ESPN3	W 31–23	15,352
October 26	3:00 pm	at Nicholls State	No. 4	John L. Guidry Stadium Thobodaux, LA		W 55–30	5,988
November 2	7:00 pm	No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana	No. 4	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		L 7–41	14,898
November 9	3:00 pm	at Stephen F. Austin	No. 11	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX		W 69–38	6,312
November 16	7:00 pm	Northwestern State	No. 9	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (Rivalry)	ESPN3	W 43–17	15,003
November 23	3:00 pm	at Lamar	No. 6	Provost Umphrey Stadium Beaumont, TX (Battle of the Border)		W 42–38	7,627
December 7	6:00 pm	No. 20 Jacksonville State*	No. 6	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (FCS Playoffs Second Round)	ESPN3	L 10–31	5,036
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll released prior to game Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

^[1]

Game summaries[]

South Florida[]

McNeese State at USF

1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 2 31 10 10 53 Bulls 7 0 7 7 21 Date: August 31 Location: Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL Game start: 7:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:15 Game attendance: 35,470 Game weather: 88 °F (31 °C), Cloudy Referee: Todd LaPenta TV announcers (ESPN3): , Doug Graber, and Sources:

Scoring summary 1 12:47 USF Marcus Shaw 80-yard touchdown run, Marvin Kloss kick good USF 7–0 1 7:55 MCN 30-yard Team Safety USF 7–2 2 11:02 MCN Kelvin Bennett 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 9–7 2 10:38 MCN Dylan Long 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 16–7 2 6:47 MCN Nic Jacobs 22-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 23–7 2 3:13 MCN Jean Breaux 47-yard Field Goal MCN 26–7 2 0:12 MCN Guy Morgan 76-yard Interception return for a touchdown, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 33–7 3 12:46 MCN Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 40–7 3 11:23 USF Stephen Bravo-Brown 59-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Eveld, Marvin Kloss kick good MCN 40–14 3 4:23 MCN Ryan Rome 32-yard Field Goal MCN 43–14 4 13:57 USF Andre Davis 7-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Eveld, Marvin Kloss kick good MCN 43–21 4 12:59 MCN Nic Jacobs 22-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 50–21 4 5:37 MCN Ryan Rome 24-yard Field Goal MCN 53–21

McNeese State received $400,000 to play the upper division (FBS) USF Bulls to open the 2013 season for both programs.^[2] The Bulls prior record as an FBS team playing against FCS teams was 23–0; USF was a 20.5 point favorite before the game.^[2][3] The Cowboys spoiled Willie Taggart's debut as the Bulls' head coach, winning 53–21. The 32-point margin was the largest margin of victory by any FCS team over an FBS team since Division I was split into FBS and FCS in 1978.^[3]

---

Arkansas-Pine Bluff[]

Arkansas–Pine Bluff at McNeese State

1 2 3 4 Total Golden Lions 7 7 0 0 14 • #18 Cowboys 14 23 14 7 58 Date: September 7 Location: Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA Game start: 7:37 PM CST Elapsed time: 2:48 Game attendance: 15,217 Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), Cloudy, Winds SSW @ 6mph Referee: Ken Ray TV announcers (CSNH): David Saltzman, ND Kalu & Bart Enis Sources:

Scoring summary 1 11:40 MCN Marcus Wiltz 12-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 7–0 1 6:00 UAPB Jamie Smith 7-yard touchdown run, Tyler Strickland kick good Tied 7–7 1 0:24 MCN Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 14–7 2 14:30 UAPB Jeremiah Young 2-yard touchdown run, Tyler Strickland kick good Tied 14–14 2 12:32 MCN Tyler Bolfing 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 21–14 2 11:42 MCN 1-yard Team Safety MCN 23–14 2 10:11 MCN Marcus Wiltz 22-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 30–14 2 0:41 MCN Marcus Wiltz 6-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 37–14 3 14:12 MCN Ernest Celestie 33-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 44–14 3 1:56 MCN Dylan Long 12-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 51–14 4 9:58 MCN Jontrey Tillman 9-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 58–14

---

West Alabama[]

West Alabama at McNeese State

1 2 3 4 Total Tigers 14 7 14 7 42 • #13 Cowboys 14 10 7 13 44 Date: September 14 Location: Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA Game start: 7:00 PM CST Elapsed time: 3:05 Game attendance: 10,107 Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), Partly Cloudy, Winds E @ 6mph Referee: Ross Smith Sources:

Scoring summary 1 14:48 UWA Chad Toocheck 75-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Caldwell, Mark Grant kick good UWA 7–0 1 10:35 MCN Zach Hetrick 3-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good Tied 7–7 1 7:40 UWA Seth Roberts 26-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Caldwell, Mark Grant kick good UWA 14–7 1 1:49 MCN Wes Briscoe 16-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good Tied 14–14 2 13:11 UWA Gary Johnston 1-yard touchdown run, Mark Grant kick good UWA 21–14 2 10:39 MCN Ryan Rome 31-yard Field Goal UWA 21–17 2 4:17 MCN Nic Jacobs 4-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 24–21 3 12:49 UWA Ty Morgan 57-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Caldwell, Mark Grant kick good UWA 28–24 3 6:34 MCN Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 31–28 3 0:22 UWA Kedrick Rhodes 29-yard touchdown run, Mark Grant kick good UWA 35–31 4 12:58 MCN Jereon McGilvery 28-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 38–35 4 3:41 UWA Gary Johnston 2-yard touchdown run, Mark Grant kick good UWA 42–38 4 0:46 MCN Diontae Spencer 20-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick blocked MCN 44–42

---

Weber State[]

Weber State at McNeese State

1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 6 0 0 0 6 • #12 Cowboys 7 10 13 13 43 Date: September 21 Location: Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA Game start: 7:00 PM CST Elapsed time: 2:53 Game attendance: 8,893 Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), Cloudy w/ 70% chance of rain, Winds NNE @ 12mph Referee: C. Castleberry Sources:

Scoring summary 1 9:41 WSU Cam Livingston 48-yard touchdown pass from Austin Chipoletti, Austin Chipoletti rush failed WSU 6–0 1 2:55 MCN Wallace Scott 69-yard Interception returned for a touchdown, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 7–6 2 14:45 MCN Kelvin Bennett 48-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 14–6 2 5:40 MCN Ryan Rome 35-yard Field Goal MCN 17–6 3 7:15 MCN Ernest Celestie 43-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good MCN 24–6 3 1:36 MCN Marcus Wiltz 11-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick blocked MCN 30–6 4 14:49 MCN Ernest Celestie 60-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick failed MCN 36–6 4 9:55 MCN Kelvin Bennett 50-yard touchdown run, Jean Breaux kick good MCN 43–6

---

Northern Iowa[]

McNeese State at Northern Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total #9 Cowboys 0 0 6 0 6 • #5 Panthers 7 10 14 10 41 Date: September 28 Location: UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA Game attendance: 12,325 Sources:

---

Central Arkansas[]

McNeese State at Central Arkansas

1 2 3 4 Total • #11 Cowboys 7 35 7 10 59 #14 Bears 7 14 7 0 28 Date: October 5 Location: Estes Stadium Conway, AR Television network: SLCTV Sources:

---

Sam Houston State[]

McNeese State at Sam Houston State

1 2 3 4 Total #9 Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 #2 Bearkats 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 19 Location: Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX Television network: ESPN3 Sources:

---

Nicholls State[]

McNeese State at Nicholls State

1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 Colonels 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 26 Location: John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA Sources:

---

Southeastern Louisiana[]

Southeastern Louisiana at McNeese State

1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 0 0 0 Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 2 Location: Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA Sources:

---

Stephen F. Austin[]

McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin

1 2 3 4 Total • #11 Cowboys 21 24 17 7 69 Lumberjacks 24 0 7 7 38 Date: November 9 Location: Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX Sources:

Scoring summary 1 9:37 SFA Tyler Boyd 62-yard touchdown pass from Brady Attaway, Jordan Wiggs kick SFA 7–0 1 9:25 MCNS Diontae Spencer 93-yard kickoff return, Ryan Rome kick Tied 7–7 1 7:16 SFA Jordan Wiggs 20-yard field goal SFA 10–7 1 5:07 SFA Tyler Boyd 17-yard touchdown pass from Brady Attaway, Jordan Wiggs kick SFA 17–7 1 4:53 MCNS Diontae Spencer 85-yard kickoff return, Ryan Rome kick SFA 17–14 1 4:39 SFA Mike Brooks 100-yard kickoff return, Jordan Wiggs kick SFA 24–14 1 2:09 MCNS Marcus Wiltz 2-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick SFA 24–21 2 8:08 MCNS Ernest Celestie 71-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 28–24 2 7:24 MCNS Zack Hetrick 4-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 35–24 2 2:37 MCNS Diontae Spencer 10-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 42–24 2 0:05 MCNS Ryan Rome 22-yard field goal MCNS 45–24 3 7:54 MCNS Ryan Rome 23-yard field goal MCNS 48–24 3 7:20 SFA Marquis Mosley 51-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Boyd, Jordan Wiggs kick MCNS 48–31 3 5:29 MCNS Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 55–31 3 3:29 MCNS Diontae Spencer 9-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 62–31 4 8:36 MCNS Diontae Spencer 35-yard punt return, Ryan Rome kick MCNS 69–31 4 3:38 MCNS Braxton Beardon 11-yard pass from Joe Minden, Jordan Wiggs kick MCNS 69–38

---

Northwestern State[]

Northwestern State at McNeese State

1 2 3 4 Total Demons 0 0 0 0 0 Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 16 Location: Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA Television network: ESPN3 Sources:

---

Lamar[]

McNeese State at Lamar

1 2 3 4 Total Demons 0 0 0 0 0 Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 23 Location: Provost Umphrey Stadium Beaumont, TX Sources:

---

Ranking movements[]

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
Sports Network	NR	18	13	12	9	11	9	9	4	4	11	9	6	6	11
Coaches	NR	20	18	13	9	14	11	10	7	7	13	11	8	6	9

References[]