# McNeese–Northwestern State football rivalry

The McNeese–Northwestern State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the McNeese Cowboys and the Northwestern State Demons. Both schools are members of the University of Louisiana System, and compete together as members of the Southland Conference (SLC).

## History

The two teams have met 73 times on the football field, with McNeese currently holding a 48–24–1 edge in the all-time series.

## Game results

| McNeese victories | Northwestern State victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | October 6, 1951 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 38–21 |
| 2 | October 4, 1952 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 32–13 |
| 3 | October 3, 1953 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 20–6 |
| 4 | October 2, 1954 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 32–20 |
| 5 | October 1, 1955 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 14–6 |
| 6 | September 29, 1956$^A$ | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 20$^A$–13$^A$ |
| 7 | September 28, 1957 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 23–20 |
| 8 | September 27, 1958 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 25–8 |
| 9 | September 19, 1959 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 19–6 |
| 10 | November 5, 1960 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 20–7 |
| 11 | November 4, 1961 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 28–14 |
| 12 | November 3, 1962 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 26–6 |
| 13 | November 9, 1963 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 21–13 |
| 14 | November 7, 1964 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 12–10 |
| 15 | November 6, 1965 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 29–21 |
| 16 | November 5, 1966 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 14–6 |
| 17 | November 4, 1967 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 21–7 |
| 18 | November 9, 1968 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 28–12 |
| 19 | November 8, 1969 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 29–28 |
| 20 | November 7, 1970 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 14–7 |
| 21 | November 6, 1971 | Natchitoches, LA | Tie | 3–3 |
| 22 | November 4, 1972 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 25–10 |
| 23 | November 3, 1973 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 14–0 |
| 24 | November 9, 1974 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 17–7 |
| 25 | November 8, 1975 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 31–14 |
| 26 | November 6, 1976 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 24–15 |
| 27 | November 5, 1977 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 14–7 |
| 28 | September 23, 1978 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 10–7 |
| 29 | November 3, 1979 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 44–13 |
| 30 | September 27, 1980 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 13–10 |
| 31 | October 10, 1981 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 42–21 |
| 32 | October 9, 1982 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 21–11 |
| 33 | September 3, 1983 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 18–13 |
| 34 | September 1, 1984 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 17–14 |
| 35 | September 14, 1985 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 14–13 |
| 36 | September 13, 1986 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 9–3 |
| 37 | September 12, 1987 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 39–3 |
| 38 | October 8, 1988 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 25–20 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 39 | September 23, 1989 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 18–17 |
| 40 | October 13, 1990 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 38–21 |
| 41 | October 19, 1991 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 20–3 |
| 42 | October 17, 1992 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 29–0 |
| 43 | November 13, 1993 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 34–7 |
| 44 | November 12, 1994 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 28–7 |
| 45 | November 11, 1995 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 20–10 |
| 46 | November 16, 1996 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 20–3 |
| 47 | October 11, 1997 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 50–7 |
| 48 | October 15, 1998 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 14–10 |
| 49 | October 23, 1999 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 20–17 |
| 50 | October 21, 2000 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 37–34 |
| 51 | November 10, 2001 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 17–10 |
| 52 | November 16, 2002 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 27–3 |
| 53 | November 15, 2003 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 13–9 |
| 54 | October 16, 2004 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 47–17 |
| 55 | November 12, 2005 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 22–17 |
| 56 | November 11, 2006 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 29–26 |
| 57 | November 10, 2007 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 27–21 |
| 58 | November 15, 2008 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 24–17 |
| 59 | October 17, 2009 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 51–23 |
| 60 | October 2, 2010 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 24–7 |
| 61 | October 1, 2011 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 20–18 |
| 62 | September 29, 2012 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 30–22 |
| 63 | November 16, 2013 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese State | 43–17 |
| 64 | November 1, 2014 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese State | 35–28 |
| 65 | October 24, 2015 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese | 47–27 |
| 66 | October 22, 2016 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese | 48–27 |
| 67 | November 11, 2017 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese | 44–24 |
| 68 | November 10, 2018 | Natchitoches, LA | Northwestern State | 37–34 $^{OT}$ |
| 69 | November 2, 2019 | Lake Charles, LA | McNeese | 30–20 |
| 70 | March 20, 2021 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese | 21–7 |
| 71 | October 16, 2021 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese | 35–17 |
| 72 | November 20, 2021 | Lake Charles, LA | Northwestern State | 24–20 |
| 73 | November 16, 2024 | Natchitoches, LA | McNeese | 35–3 |
| Series: McNeese leads 49–23–1 |||||
| $^A$ McNeese initially won the game, but later forfeited the victory. October 28, 2023, game canceled due to Northwestern State canceling remainder of 2023 season. |||||