# 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2021 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Frank Wilson in his second and final season as head coach, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the Southland. McNeese State played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

## Preseason
### Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll in July 2021. The Cowboys were picked to finish fourth in the conference. In addition, six Cowboys were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 48 (8) |
| 2 | Nicholls | 43 (4) |
| 3 | Incarnate Word | 32 |
| 4 | McNeese State | 26 |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 21 |
| 6 | Houston Baptist | 10 |

### Preseason All–Southland Teams
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 12:00 p.m. | West Florida* | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST/ESPN+ | L 36–42 | 8,665 |
| September 11 | 7:00 p.m. | at LSU* | Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | SECN+/ESPN+ | L 7–34 | 94,220 |
| September 18 | 6:00 p.m. | at Southern* | Ace W. Mumford StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | ESPN+ | W 31–24 | 15,003 |
| September 25 | 12:00 p.m. | at Incarnate Word | Gayle and Tom Benson StadiumSan Antonio, TX | ESPN+ | L 0–31 | 1,633 |
| October 2 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST/ESPN+ | L 35–38 | 6,044 |
| October 16 | 3:00 p.m. | at Northwestern State | Harry Turpin StadiumNatchitoches, LA (rivalry) | CST/ESPN+ | W 35–17 | 7,413 |
| October 23 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 16 Incarnate Word | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ESPN+ | W 28–20 | 7,498 |
| October 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA | ESPN+ | L 20–23 | 4,185 |
| November 6 | 12:00 p.m. | Nicholls | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | CST/ESPN+ | L 14–24 | 8,898 |
| November 13 | 2:00 p.m. | at Houston Baptist | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | W 44–3 | 2,325 |
| November 20 | 12:00 p.m. | Northwestern State | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA (rivalry) | ESPN+ | L 20–24 | 8,412 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### West Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Argonauts | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 36 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| West Florida | Passing |
| West Florida | Rushing |
| West Florida | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### At LSU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Tigers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| LSU | Passing |
| LSU | Rushing |
| LSU | Receiving |

### At Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 31 |
| Jaguars | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Southern | Passing |
| Southern | Rushing |
| Southern | Receiving |

### At Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Cardinals | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Incarnate Word | Passing |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving |

### No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 14 Lions | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### At Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 0 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Demons | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Northwestern State | Passing |
| Northwestern State | Rushing |
| Northwestern State | Receiving |

### No. 16 Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 20 |
| • Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Incarnate Word | Passing |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### At No. 8 Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| • No. 8 Lions | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |

### Nicholls

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colonels | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### At Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys | 14 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 44 |
| Huskies | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |
| Houston Baptist | Passing |
| Houston Baptist | Rushing |
| Houston Baptist | Receiving |

### Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Demons | 17 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Northwestern State | Passing |
| Northwestern State | Rushing |
| Northwestern State | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |