# 2017 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2017 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Lance Guidry, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 9–2 with a mark of 7–2 in conference play, tying for third place in the Southland. McNeese State played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 7:00 p.m. | at Nicholls State | | John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA | ESPN3 | L 35–37 | 9,024 |
| September 9 | 6:00 p.m. | Florida Tech* | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | AACI | W 42–21 | 11,101 |
| September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | at Alcorn State* | | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | BAA | W 34–27 | 12,608 |
| September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Houston Baptist | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | FSSW+ | W 27–12 | 11,398 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at Stephen F. Austin | | Homer Bryce StadiumNacogdoches, TX | ESPN3 | W 35–0 | 12,812 |
| October 7 | 6:00 p.m. | at Abilene Christian | | Wildcat StadiumAbilene, TX | ELVN | W 13–7 | 10,564 |
| October 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Incarnate Word | No. 20 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | | W 55–7 | 9,732 |
| October 28 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 4 Central Arkansas | No. 20 | Estes StadiumConway, AR (Red Beans and Rice Bowl) | ESPN3 | L 17–47 | 9,887 |
| November 4 | 6:00 p.m. | Southeastern Louisiana | No. 22 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST | W 13–3 | 7,332 |
| November 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Northwestern State | No. 20 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (rivalry) | CST | W 44–24 | 10,132 |
| November 18 | 6:00 p.m. | at Lamar | No. 19 | Provost Umphrey StadiumBeaumont, TX (Battle of the Border) | ESPN3 | W 13–3 | 5,378 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

### Sources
## Game summaries
### @ Nicholls

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 6 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 35 |
| • Colonels | 7 | 0 | 14 | 16 | 37 |

### Florida Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| • Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 42 |

### @ Alcorn State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 34 |
| Braves | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27 |

### Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| • Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 27 |

### @ Stephen F. Austin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
| Lumberjacks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### @ Abilene Christian

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Lumberjacks | 17 | 7 | 21 | 10 | 55 |

### @ Central Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Demons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### @ Lamar

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Cardinals | 14 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 41 |

## 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 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 22 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 22 |
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 18 |