# 2018 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2018 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Lance Guidry in his third and final season as head caoach, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 5–4 in conference play, placing in four-way tie for fourth in the Southland. McNeese State played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
On November 20, Guidry was fired. He finished his tenure at McNeese State with a three-year record of 21–12.

## Preseason
### Preseason All-Conference Teams

On July 12, 2018, the Southland announced their Preseason All-Conference Teams, with the Cowboys having ten players selected.
Offense First Team
* David Hamm – Sr. RB
* Lawayne Ross – Jr. TE
* Gunnar Raborn – Sr. K
* Alex Kjellsten – Sr. P
Defense First Team
* BJ Blunt – Sr. LB
Offense Second Team
* James Tabary – Sr. QB
* Grant Burguillos – Jr. OL
Defense Second Team
* Chris Livings – Jr. DL
* Darion Dunn – So. DB
* Colby Burton – Jr. DB

### Preseason poll

On July 19, 2018, the Southland announced their preseason poll, with the Cowboys predicted to finish in fourth place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Sam Houston State | 187 (10) |
| 2 | Nicholls State | 173 (6) |
| 3 | Central Arkansas | 170 (5) |
| 4 | McNeese State | 159 (1) |
| 5 | Southeastern Louisiana | 119 |
| 6 | Stephen F. Austin | 90 |
| 7 | Abilene Christian | 89 |
| 8 | Northwestern State | 86 |
| 9 | Incarnate Word | 53 |
| 10 | Lamar | 52 |
| 11 | Houston Baptist | 32 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 3:05 p.m. | at Northern Colorado* | No. 17 | Nottingham FieldGreeley, CO | Pluto TV | W 17–14 | 5,726 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at Houston Baptist | No. 16 | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ELVN | W 51–34 | 2,538 |
| September 15 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 13 Nicholls | No. 16 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST | W 20–10 | 13,140 |
| September 22 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 25 (FBS) BYU* | No. 9 | LaVell Edwards StadiumProvo, UT | BYUtv/ESPN3 | L 3–30 | 53,223 |
| September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | Stephen F. Austin | No. 10 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | Cowboy Insider | W 17–10 | 8,933 |
| October 6 | 6:00 p.m. | Abilene Christian | No. 9 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | Cowboy Insider | W 24–21 | 10,001 |
| October 20 | 6:00 p.m. | at Incarnate Word | No. 6 | Gayle and Tom Benson StadiumSan Antonio, TX | ELVN | L 17–45 | 3,084 |
| October 27 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 13 Central Arkansas | No. 14 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (Red Beans and Rice Bowl) | ESPN3 | W 23–21 | 11,208 |
| November 3 | 7:00 p.m. | at Southeastern Louisiana | No. 11 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | CST | L 6–23 | 5,127 |
| November 10 | 6:00 p.m. | at Northwestern State | No. 18 | Harry Turpin StadiumNatchitoches, LA (rivalry) | ESPN3 | L 34–37 | 6,111 |
| November 17 | 3:00 p.m. | Lamar | No. 22 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (Battle of the Border) | ESPN3 | L 17–21 | 11,532 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### At Northern Colorado

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 14 Cowboys | 21 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 51 |
| Huskies | 7 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 34 |
at Husky Stadium, Houston, TX
* Date: September 8
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 92 °F (33 °C); cloudy
* Game attendance: 2,538
* Referee: Dan Lewis
* TV: Eleven Sports
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - James Tabary 1-yard TD run, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 12:25 (MCNS 7-0)
MCNS - Austin Nelson 22-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 6:11 (MCNS 14-0)
MCNS - Cyron Sutton 65-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 5:36 (MCNS 21-0)
HBU - Dreshawn Minnieweather 1-yard TD run, Alec Chadwick kick good, 3:50 (MCNS 21-7)
Second quarter
MCNS - Kylon Highshaw 5-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick no good, 11:37 (MCNS 27-7)
HBU - Jeremy Smith 10-yard TD pass from Bailey Zappe, Chadwick kick good, 10:30 (MCNS 27-14)
MCNS - Raborn 34-yard field goal, 6:29 (MCNS 30-14)
MCNS - Trevor Begue 26-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 2:38 (MCNS 37-14)
Third quarter
MCNS - Highshaw 14-yard TD pass from Cody Orgeron, Raborn kick good, 10:59 (MCNS 44-14)
HBU - Smith 1-yard Td pass from Zappe, Chadwick kick good, 8:47 (MCNS 44-21)
HBU - Minnieweather 1-yard TD run, Chadwick kick no good, 0:58 (MCNS 44-27)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - Parker Orgeron 59-yard punt returned for TD, Raborn kick good, 12:04 (MCNS 51-27)
HBU - David Racine 22-yard TD pass from Zappe, Chadwick kick good, 11:22 (MCNS 51-34)
Top passers
MCNS - James Tabary - 25/32, 355 yards, 4 TD
HBU - Bailey Zappe - 18/35, 348 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MCNS - Justin Pratt - 13 carries, 60 yards
HBU - Dreshawn Minnieweather - 17 carries, 146 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 2 receptions, 68 yards, TD
HBU - David Racine - 3 receptions, 108 yards, TD :

### Nicholls

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 12 Colonels | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 15 Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: September 15
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C); overcast
* Game attendance: 13,140
* Referee: Vidal Jones
* TV: Cox Sports Television
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - Lawayne Ross 16-yard TD pass from James Tabary, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 14:50 (MCNS 7-0)
Second quarter
MCNS - Cyron Sutton 11-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 12:37 (MCNS 14-0)
NICH - Lorran Fonseca 21-yard field goal, 3:08 (MCNS 14-3)
Third quarter
MCNS - Raborn 24-yard field goal, 8:11 (MCNS 17-3)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - Raborn 42-yard field goal, 11:53 (MCNS 20-3)
NICH - Dai'Jean Dixon 2-yard TD pass from Chase Fourcade, Fonseca kick good, 0:06 (MCNS 20-10)
Top passers
MCNS - James Tabary - 14/19, 133 yards, 2 TD
NICH - Chase Fourcase - 22/41, 257 yards, TD
Top rushers
MCNS - Justin Pratt - 11 carries, 45 yards
NICH - Chase Fourcade - 14 carries, 45 yards
Top receivers
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 5 receptions, 56 yards, TD
NICH - Damion Jeanpiere Jr. - 4 receptions, 100 yards :

### At BYU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 9 Colonels | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| No. 25 (FBS) Cougars | 0 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
at LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
* Date: September 22
* Game time: 5:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C); sunny, some clouds
* Game attendance: 53,223
* Referee: Brad Van Vark
* TV: ESPN3
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - Gunnar Raborn 20-yard field goal, 6:38 (MCNS 3-0)
Second quarter
BYU - Lopini Katoa 4-yard TD run, Skyler Southam kick good, 8:42 (BYU 7-3)
BYU - Talon Shumway 7-yard TD pass from Tanner Mangum, Southam kick good, 6:37 (BYU 14-3)
BYU - Katoa 14-yard TD run, Southam kick good, 1:09 (BYU 21-3)
BYU - Southam 30-yard field goal, 0:00 (BYU 24-3)
Third quarter
BYU - Southam 22-yard field goal, 8:53 (BYU 27-3)
BYU - Southam 47-yard field goal, 1:49 (BYU 30-3)
Top passers
BYU - Tyler Mangum - 15/25, 118 yards, TD
MCNS - James Tabary - 14/21, 121 yards, INT
Top rushers
BYU - Lopini Katoa - 10 carries, 64 yards, 2 TD
MCNS - David Hamm - 8 carries, 29 yards
Top receivers
BYU - Aleva Hifo - 4 receptions, 38 yards
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 3 receptions, 72 yards :

### Stephen F. Austin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lumberjacks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| No. 10 Cowboys | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: September 29
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C); heavy rains
* Game attendance: 8,933
* Referee: Stephen Baron
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - David Hamm 55-yard TD run, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 12:30 (MCNS 7-0)
MCNS - Parker Orgeron 6-yard TD pass from James Tabary, Raborn kick good, 5:05 (MCNS 14-0)
Third quarter
MCNS - Raborn 29-yard field goal, 3:13 (MCNS 17-0)
Fourth quarter
SFA - Terian Goree 5-yard TD pass from Foster Sawyer, Caleb Lewallen kick good, 10:04 (MCNS 17-7)
SFA - Storm Ruiz 41-yard field goal, 5:59 (MCNS 17-10)
Top passers
MCNS - James Tabary - 11/20, 78 yards, TD
SFA - Foster Sawyer - 24/40, 142 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
MCNS - David Hamm - 8 carries, 69 yards, TD
SFA - Jamall Shaw - 9 carries, 40 yards
Top receivers
MCNS - Austin Nelson - 3 receptions, 42 yards
SFA - Terian Goree - 11 receptions, 66 yards, TD :

### Abilene Christian

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 9 Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: October 6
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 10,001
* Referee: Eddy Shelton
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - Trevor Begue 6-yard TD pass from James Tabary, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 8:15 (MCNS 7-0)
ACU - Luke Anthony 1-yard TD run, Oscar Hernandez kick good, 2:55 (TIE 7-7)
Second quarter
MCNS - Raborn 28-yard field goal, 3:04 (MCNS 10-7)
ACU - Billy McCrary 17-yard TD pass from Anthony, Hernandez kick good, 1:24 (ACU 14-10)
Third quarter
MCNS - David Hamm 1-yard TD run, Raborn kick good, 9:41 (MCNS 17-14)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - Cyron Sutton 73-yard punt returned for TD, Raborn kick good, 4:50 (MCNS 24-14)
ACU - Torin Justice 5-yard TD pass from Anthony, Hernandez kick good, 2:02 (MCNS 24-21)
Top passers
MCNS - James Tabary - 16/29, 244 yards, TD, 2 INT
ACU - Luke Anthony - 43/61, 314 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
MCNS - Mac Briscoe - 5 carries, 37 yards
ACU - Tracy James - 7 carries, 40 yards
Top receivers
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 3 receptions, 82 yards
ACU - Kobe Clark - 6 receptions, 78 yards :

### At Incarnate Word

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 6 Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Cardinals | 14 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 45 |
at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium, San Antonio, TX
* Date: October 20
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 3,084
* Referee: Vidal Jones
* TV: Eleven Sports/Cox Sports Television
Game information :
First quarter
UIW - Phillip Baptiste 20-yard TD pass from Jon Copeland, Cody Seidel kick good, 12:22 (UIW 7-0)
MCNS - Gunnar Raborn 37-yard field goal, 6:07 (UIW 7-3)
UIW - Lamont Johnson 8-yard TD pass from Copeland, Seidel kick good, 2:33 (UIW 14-3)
Second quarter
UIW - Ra'Quanne Dickens 7-yard TD run, Seidel kick good, 6:53 (UIW 21-3)
UIW - Copeland 4-yard TD run, Seidel kick good, 2:01 (UIW 28-3)
Third quarter
MCNS - Kylon Highshaw 4-yard TD pass from James Tabary, Raborn kick good, 12:13 (UIW 28-10)
UIW - Seidel 35-yard field goal, 6:50 (UIW 31-10)
UIW - Baptiste 15-yard TD pass from Copeland, Seidel kick good, 1:50 (UIW 38-10)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - Lawayne Ross 2-yard TD pass from Cody Orgeron, Raborn kick good, 14:56 (UIW 38-17)
UIW - Louis Otis 37-yard interception returned for TD, Seidel kick good, 6:31 (UIW 45-17)
Top passers
UIW - Jon Copeland - 24/41, 236 yards, 3 TD, INT
MCNS - Cody Orgeron - 8/17, 80 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
UIW - Ra'Quanne Dickens - 20 carries, 69 yards, TD
MCNS - Cody Orgeron - 2 carries, 16 yards
Top receivers
UIW - Phillip Baptiste - 5 receptions, 83 yards, 2 TD
MCNS - Trevor Begue - 6 receptions, 72 yards :

### Central Arkansas

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Bears | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| No. 14 Cowboys | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: October 27
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C); clear
* Game attendance: 11,208
* Referee: Michael VanderVelde
* TV: Eleven Sports/Cox Sports Television
Game information :
First quarter
MCNS - David Hamm 1-yard TD run, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 10:50 (MCNS 7-0)
UCA - Jakari Dillard 75-yard TD pass from Luke Hales, Matt Cummins kick good, 10:39 (TIE 7-7)
MCNS - Cody Orgeron 16-yard TD run, Raborn kick good, 9:05 (MCNS 14-7)
MCNS - Raborn 34-yard field goal, 2:46 (MCNS 17-7)
Second quarter
MCNS - Raborn 33-yard field goal, 7:48 (MCNS 20-7)
UCA - Brandon Myers 24-yard TD pass from Hales, Cummins kick good, 4:07 (MCNS 20-14)
Third quarter
UCA - Carlos Blackman 39-yard TD run, Cummins kick good, 0:13 (UCA 21-20)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - Raborn 24-yard field goal, 7:27 (MCNS 23-21)
Top passers
MCNS - Cody Orgeron - 13/21, 135 yards
UCA - Luke Hales - 13/33, 290 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MCNS - David Hamm - 13 carries, 59 yards, TD
UCA - Carlos Blackman - 12 carries, 86 yards, TD
Top receivers
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 5 receptions, 76 yards
UCA - Jakari Dillard - 4 receptions, 103 yards, TD :

### At Southeastern Louisiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 11 Cowboys | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Strawberry Stadium, Hammond, LA
* Date: November 3
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C); sunny
* Game attendance: 5,127
* Referee: Stephen Baron
* TV: ESPN3/Cox Sports Television
Game information :
First quarter
SELA - Juwan Petit-Frere 6-yard TD pass from Chason Virgil, Jonathan Tatum kick good, 10:05 (SELA 7-0)
MCNS - Gunnar Raborn 22-yard field goal, 7:18 (SELA 7-3)
SELA - Tatum 40-yard field goal, 3:59 (SELA 10-3)
MCNS - Raborn 37-yard field goal, 0:02 (SELA 10-6)
Third quarter
SELA - Julius Maracalin 41-yard TD run, Tatum kick good, 1:10 (SELA 17-6)
Fourth quarter
SELA - Tatum 25-yard field goal, 8:53 (SELA 20-6)
SELA - Tatum 30-yard field goal, 5:29 (SELA 23-6)
Top passers
SELA - Chason Virgil - 14/28, 162 yards, TD
MCNS - Cody Orgeron - 13/23, 98 yards, INT
Top rushers
SELA - Julius Maracalin - 13 carries, 88 yards, TD
MCNS - Cody Orgeron - 6 carries, 32 yards
Top receivers
SELA - Cyron Sutton - 6 receptions, 55 yards
MCNS - Juwan Petit-Frere - 7 receptions, 85 yards, TD :

### At Northwestern State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 34 |
| Demons | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 37 |
at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA
* Date: November 10
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C); cloudy
* Game attendance: 6,111
* Referee: Eddy Shelton
* TV: ESPN3
Game information :
Second quarter
MCNS - Trevor Begue 3-yard TD pass from James Tabary, Gunnar Raborn kick good, 1:14 (MCNS 7-0)
Third quarter
NSU - Jared West 19-yard TD run, Austyn Fendrick kick good, 11:15 (TIE 7-7)
MCNS - Cyron Sutton 61-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 10:52 (MCNS 14-7)
MCNS - Ryan Ross 2-yard TD run, Raborn kick good, 5:10 (MCNS 21-7)
NSU - Kalen Meggs 27-yard TD pass from Shelton Eppler, Fendrick kick good, 2:24 (MCNS 21-14)
Fourth quarter
NSU - Fendrick 36-yard field goal, 12:04 (MCNS 21-17)
MCNS - Rodnell Cruell 26-yard TD pass from Tabary, Raborn kick good, 10:50 (MCNS 28-17)
NSU - Jazz Ferguson 2-yard TD pass from Eppler, two-point conversion pass no good, 7:35 (MCNS 28-23)
MCNS - Raborn 27-yard field goal, 2:27 (MCNS 31-28)
NSU - Jaylen Watson 19-yard TD pass from Eppler, Eppler two-point conversion pass to Ferguson good, 0:27 (TIE 31-31)
First overtime
MCNS - Raborn 38-yard field goal (MCNS 34-31)
NSU - Ferguson 6-yard TD pass from Eppler (NSU 37-34)
Top passers
NSU - Shelton Eppler - 25/46, 292 yards, 4 TD
MCNS - James Tabary - 15/27, 203 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
NSU - Jared West - 12 carries, 61 yards, TD
MCNS - David Hamm - 11 carries, 49 yards
Top receivers
NSU - Jazz Ferguson - 9 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TD
MCNS - Cyron Sutton - 6 receptions, 119 yards, TD :

### Lamar

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 21 Cowboys | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 |
at Cowboy Stadium, Lake Charles, LA
* Date: November 17
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C); partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 11,532
* Referee: C. Watson
* TV: ESPN3
Game information :
First quarter
LAMR - A. J. Walker 15-yard TD run, Elvin Martinez kick good, 6:31 (LAMR 7-0)
Second quarter
MCNS - Gunnar Raborn 29-yard field goal, 1:32 (LAMR 7-3)
Third quarter
LAMR - Case Robinson 36-yard TD pass from Darrel Colbert Jr., Martinez kick good, 4:12 (LAMR 14-3)
MCNS - Benjamin Jones 99-yard kickoff returned for TD, two-point pass conversion no good, 3:57 (LAMR 14-9)
Fourth quarter
MCNS - David Hamm 63-yard TD run, James Tabary two-point conversion pass to Ryan Ross good, 14:39 (MCNS 17-14)
LAMR - Colbert Jr. 1-yard TD run, Martinez kick good, 2:04 (LAMR 21-17)
Top passers
LAMR - Darrel Colbert Jr. - 9/14, 148 yards, TD
MCNS - James Tabary - 8/31, 79 yards, INT
Top rushers
LAMR - Darrel Colbert Jr. - 19 carries, 110 yards, TD
MCNS - David Hamm - 15 carries, 166 yards, TD
Top receivers
LAMR - Case Robinson - 2 receptions, 80 yards, TD
MCNS - Rodnell Cruell - 2 receptions, 31 yards :

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 17 | 16 | 16 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 22 | RV | |
| Coaches | 18 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 21 | RV | |