The football team returns home this week to face a tough team in McNeese State a week after both teams had convincing wins over their opponents.
The Wildcats come into the game with a record of 2-3 overall and 2-1 in conference, while McNeese has an impressive 4-1 overall record and a 2-1 Southland record.
In the previous week, the Wildcats had a strong showing against Incarnate Word winning 45-20. Junior Quarterback Dallas Sealey led the way with three rushing touchdowns and one passing.
This win over the Cardinals was also important, because the team pulled their first road victory since 2014.
For McNeese, its team controlled Stephen F. Austin in a 35-0 victory last week. The Cowboys put up two touchdowns in the second and third quarter, including three being passes from junior quarterback James Tabary.
Head coach Adam Dorrel said he has respect for the Cowboys.
“McNeese is a great football team, they’re not good, they’re great.” Dorrel said. “They’re great on defense and to me great programs play defense first. After that, their ability to run the football makes them tough.”
The Wildcats have 1776 total yards of offense through five games, including 1342 passing and 434 rushing. Sealey has posted 1178 of these yards passing the ball and 69 rushing.
Senior wide receiver Troy Grant has hauled in the most yardage from Sealey with 304 on the season and a touchdown. Out of the backfield, sophomore running back Tracy James has ran for 210 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Wildcats have given up 1866 yards, 1044 of it passing and 822 rushing. Sophomore safety Bolu Onifade remains the leader in tackles with 40 and the safety along side him, junior Brandon Richmond, is right behind with 33.
Tabary leads his McNeese program offensively with 1173 yards passing and 14 touchdowns through five games. Sophomore Justin Pratt leads his team out of the backfield with 386 yards and two touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Kent Shelby leads through the air with 233 yards and three touchdowns.
Overall, the Cowboys have tallied 2145 yards offensively, 1178 passing and 967 rushing, and have given up 1464 yards defensively, 1185 passing and only 279 rushing.
Dorrel said that he’s ready to face a top-25 FCS team.
“This institution in the Div. 1 era has never beaten a top-25 football program,” Dorrel said. “If you’re ever going to get to a point where you’re going to beat those people, you at least got to be able to talk about it. You have to use it in a positive way and not get your guys scared out of playing.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday and coverage of the game can be seen on Eleven Sports or heard on 98.1 FM.
