Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) – McNeese Athletics has announced the 2022 football schedule, the first under new head coach Gary Goff. It’s a slate that features six home games with kick-offs moving back to the traditional 7 p.m. time slot.
“The tradition of Cowboy Football has always been kicking off at 7 p.m. in The Hole and that’s what we’re going back to doing,” said Athletics Director Heath Schroyer. “We’re very excited about it.”
McNeese will open the season on September 3 at FCS National Runner-Up Montana State then will visit Rice on Sept. 10. It’ll be the first-ever meeting against the Owls while the matchup versus Montana State will mark just the second-ever meeting. The first and only other contest occurred in 2002 when the Cowboys defeated the Bobcats 21-14 in the first round of the FCS (then 1-AA) playoffs en route to the national title game.
“I’m thrilled about our 2022 schedule, which includes six home games under the lights,” said Goff. “Returning to our tradition of playing night games in The Hole will make this upcoming season even more exciting. Another key part of the schedule is our opening game on the road at National Champion Runner-Up Montana State, giving us a chance to gauge our program’s standing early on in the season.”
The Cowboys will begin a three-game home stand on Sept. 17 when it hosts Alcorn State for the fifth meeting in history. After that, McNeese will host Mississippi College (Sept. 24) before beginning Southland Conference play on Oct. 1 at home against HBU. Following an open date on Oct. 8, McNeese will travel to face conference newcomer Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 15 in league action.
October 22 will see McNeese visit Nicholls for the first of two meetings on the season. The Colonels will return to Cowboy Stadium on Nov. 12 in the home regular season finale. McNeese will host Southeastern on Oct. 29 and Eastern Illinois on Nov. 5 in the SLC/OVC Alliance game that was announced back in December.
After the Nicholls home game on Nov. 12, McNeese will visit Northwestern State on Nov. 19 in the regular season finale. The FCS playoffs begin the following week on Nov. 26.
The Alcorn matchup will be the first of a four-year contract between the two schools. McNeese last played Alcorn in 2019 when the Cowboys won 17-14 in Lake Charles. McNeese leads the all-time series 4-0.
Mississippi College is a member of the Gulf South Conference which is a powerful NCAA Division II league. The Cowboys are 3-0 all-time vs. the Choctaws and last won 37-0 in 2015.
McNeese and Eastern Illinois has met twice prior with the last contest coming in 1993 with the Cowboys winning at home by a 49-7 score. McNeese is 2-0 all-time vs. the Panthers, having first played in 1990 at EIU (15-7 score).
The Cowboys will play a six-game conference schedule as the Texas A&M-Commerce game will be counted as a league contest as the Lions make their transition from Division II to the FCS ranks.
2022 McNeese Football Schedule
*Southland Conference game
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