McNeese formidable Homecoming foe Saturday
10/6/2014 6:57:00 AM | Football
Sam Houston faces its most formidable Southland Conference opponent on the 2014 schedule this Saturday in the Bearkats' annual homecoming game.
No. 4 ranked McNeese State comes to Elliott T. Bowers Stadium Saturday for the 3 p.m. contest. The Cowboys stand 3-1 with their only loss a 31-24 defeat to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Since then the Cowboys have dismantled Prairie View 48-16, Arkansas Tech 61-7 and Nicholls 45-3.
“Two weeks ago, we defeated a good Lamar team by more than 30 points on their home field,” head coach K. C. Keeler said. “But McNeese is a different animal. They are ranked up there with Eastern Washington."
McNeese annually is one of the Southland's top teams. The Cowboys have won 12 conference championships (in 1979, 1980, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2009.)
The Bearkats and the Cowboys stand as the league's winningest teams in FCS post-season action. Sam Houston owns a 10-7 record in the playoffs while McNeese stands 11-15. Sam Houston reached the National Championship game in 2011 and 2012. McNeese was a finalist in 1997 and 2002
McNeese holds a 25-9 advantage over Sam Houston in the pair's all-time series. There has been one tie. Sam Houston is 5-21 against McNeese since joining the Southland in 1988. The Bearkats are 3-9 against McNeese in Bowers Stadium.
Keeler said that having an extra week to prepare for the Cowboys could prove vital to the Bearkats' hopes of upsetting the Cowboys.
“To defeat McNeese, we need to improve,” Keeler said. “During our first 'Get Better' week before an open weekend, we got better. We went through the same schedule last week before the open date and had
McNeese State is the Bearkats' homecoming opponent for the seventh time. The Kats defeated the Cowboys 45-10 in 2012 and 30-25 in 1996 in homecoming tilts. McNeese was the victor in the other four alumni day matchups (1994, 1998, 2002 and 2008).
The Cowboys have outscored their opponents this year 178-57 and out-gained their foes 475.0 yards total offense per contest to 280.8.
Tickets for Saturday's homecoming game are available on www.gobearkats.com or by calling the Sam Houston State athletic ticket office at (936) 294-1729.
