# 2016 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2016 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Lance Guidry, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 5–4 in conference play, tying for fourth 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 |
| September 3 | 6:00 pm | Tarleton State* | No. 11 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | AACI | W 33–3 | 11,901 |
| September 10 | 6:00 pm | at Louisiana–Lafayette* | No. 11 | Cajun FieldLafayette, LA (Cajun Crown) | ESPN3 | L 22–30 | 26,891 |
| September 17 | 6:00 pm | Stephen F. Austin | No. 14 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ASN | L 28–31 | 11,742 |
| September 24 | 6:00 pm | at Incarnate Word | No. 24 | Gayle and Tom Benson StadiumSan Antonio, TX | UIWtv | W 42–35 | 4,798 |
| October 1 | 6:00 pm | Nicholls State | No. 23 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST, ESPN3 | W 38–13 | 10,130 |
| October 8 | 6:00 pm | at Southeastern Louisiana | No. 20 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | ESPN3 | L 24–31 | 6,165 |
| October 15 | 6:00 pm | No. 23 Central Arkansas | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (Red Beans and Rice Bowl) | ESPN3 | L 0–35 | 9,253 |
| October 22 | 6:00 pm | at Northwestern State | | Harry Turpin StadiumNatchitoches, LA (rivalry) | DemonTV | W 48–27 | 10,159 |
| October 29 | 6:00 pm | Abilene Christian | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ASN | W 33–14 | 11,228 |
| November 5 | 6:00 pm | at No. 1 Sam Houston State | | Bowers StadiumHuntsville, TX | ESPN3 | L 43–56 | 8,025 |
| November 19 | 6:00 pm | Lamar | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (Battle of the Border) | AACI | W 41–10 | 8,804 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Tarleton State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texans | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| • #11 Cowboys | 0 | 20 | 13 | 0 | 33 |

### @ Louisiana–Lafayette

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #11 Cowboys | 3 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 22 |
| • Ragin' Cajuns | 7 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 30 |

### Stephen F. Austin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Lumberjacks | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| #14 Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### @ Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #24 Cowboys | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 35 |

### Nicholls State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colonels | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
| • #23 Cowboys | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 38 |

### @ Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #20 Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| • Lions | 7 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 31 |

### Central Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #23 Bears | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### @ Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 17 | 10 | 48 |
| Demons | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 27 |

### Abilene Christian

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| • Cowboys | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 33 |

### @ Sam Houston State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 9 | 21 | 13 | 43 |
| • #1 Bearkats | 14 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 56 |

### Lamar

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| • Cowboys | 14 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 41 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked 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 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 24 | 23 | 20 | RV | — | RV | RV | — | — | RV | — |
| Coaches | 9 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 22 | 19 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |