# 2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Matt Viator, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, placing second in the Southland. McNeese State received an at-large bid to NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first-round bye, the Cowboys lost in the second round to Jacksonville State. The team played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 6:00 pm | at South Florida* | | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL | ESPN3 | W 53–21 | 35,470 |
| September 7 | 7:30 pm | Arkansas-Pine Bluff* | No. 18 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CSNH | W 58–14 | 15,217 |
| September 14 | 7:00 pm | West Alabama* | No. 13 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | | W 44–42 | 10,107 |
| September 21 | 7:00 pm | Weber State* | No. 12 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | | W 43–6 | 8,893 |
| September 28 | 4:00 pm | at No. 5 Northern Iowa* | No. 9 | UNI-DomeCedar Falls, IA | | L 6–41 | 12,325 |
| October 5 | 3:00 pm | at No. 14 Central Arkansas | No. 11 | Estes StadiumConway, AR (Red Beans and Rice Bowl) | SLCTV | W 59–28 | 10,247 |
| October 19 | 7:00 pm | No. 2 Sam Houston State | No. 9 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ESPN3 | W 31–23 | 15,352 |
| October 26 | 3:00 pm | at Nicholls State | No. 4 | John L. Guidry StadiumThobodaux, LA | | W 55–30 | 5,988 |
| November 2 | 7:00 pm | No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana | No. 4 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | | L 7–41 | 14,898 |
| November 9 | 3:00 pm | at Stephen F. Austin | No. 11 | Homer Bryce StadiumNacogdoches, TX | | W 69–38 | 6,312 |
| November 16 | 7:00 pm | Northwestern State | No. 9 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (rivalry) | ESPN3 | W 43–17 | 15,003 |
| November 23 | 3:00 pm | at Lamar | No. 6 | Provost Umphrey StadiumBeaumont, TX (Battle of the Border) | | W 42–38 | 7,627 |
| December 7 | 6:00 pm | No. 20 Jacksonville State* | No. 6 | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (NCAA Division I Second Round) | ESPN3 | L 10–31 | 5,036 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### South Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 2 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 53 |
| Bulls | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
McNeese State received $400,000 to play the upper division (FBS) South Florida Bulls to open the 2013 season for both programs. The Bulls prior record as an FBS team playing against FCS teams was 23–0; USF was a 20.5 point favorite before the game. The Cowboys spoiled Willie Taggart's debut as the Bulls' head coach, winning 53–21. The 32-point margin was the largest margin of victory by any FCS team over an FBS team since Division I was split into FBS and FCS in 1978.

### Arkansas-Pine Bluff

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| • #18 Cowboys | 14 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 58 |

### West Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| • #13 Cowboys | 14 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 44 |

### Weber State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • #12 Cowboys | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 43 |

### Northern Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #9 Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| • #5 Panthers | 7 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 41 |

### Central Arkansas

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #11 Cowboys | 7 | 35 | 7 | 10 | 59 |
| #14 Bears | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |

### Sam Houston State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #9 Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| #2 Bearkats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Nicholls State

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

### Southeastern Louisiana

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

### Stephen F. Austin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #11 Cowboys | 21 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 69 |
| Lumberjacks | 24 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 38 |

### 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 |
| Demons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked :
| | Week | 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 | 13 | Final |
| Sports Network | — | 18 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 11 |
| Coaches | — | 20 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 9 |

## Media

All McNeese State games were broadcast on Gator 99.5 FM. KVHP 30.2 is the local affiliate for SLC TV and aired McNeese State games on SLC TV.