2019 Northwestern State Demons football team explained

Year:	2019
Team:	Northwestern State Demons
Sport:	football
Conference:	Southland Conference
Short Conf:	Southland
Record:	3–9
Conf Record:	3–6
Head Coach:	Brad Laird
Hc Year:	2nd
Off Coach:	Brad Smiley
Oc Year:	2nd
Off Scheme:	Spread
Def Coach:	Mike Lucas
Dc Year:	3rd
Def Scheme:	3–4

The 2019 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Brad Laird, the Demons compiled an overall record of 3–9 with a mark of 3–6 in conference play, tying for eighth place in the Southland. Northwestern State played home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Preseason

Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 18, 2019. The Demons were picked to finish in tenth place.^[1]

1	Nicholls	200 (20)
2	Central Arkansas	154
3	Incarnate Word	150 (1)
4	Sam Houston State	146
5	Lamar	123
6	McNeese State	114
7	Abilene Christian	112 (1)
8	Southeastern Louisiana	71
9	Stephen F. Austin	63
10	Northwestern State	56
11	Houston Baptist	21

Preseason All–Southland Teams

The Demons placed four players on the preseason all–Southland teams.^[2]

Offense

2nd team

Chris Zirkle – OLDefense

1st team

Hayden Bourgeois – DB

2nd team

O'Shea Jackson – DL

Myles Ward – KR

Schedule

^{[3] [4]}

Game summaries

At UT Martin

See also: 2019 UT Martin Skyhawks football team.

Statistics	Northwestern State	UT Martin
First downs	28	17
Total yards	483	309
Rushing yards	96	179
Passing yards	387	130
Turnovers	2	1
Time of possession	35:53	24:07

Midwestern State

See also: Midwestern State Mustangs football.

Statistics	Midwestern State	Northwestern State
First downs	22	14
Total yards	425	243
Rushing yards	102	58
Passing yards	323	185
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	33:35	26:25

At LSU

See also: 2019 LSU Tigers football team.

Statistics	Northwestern State	LSU
First downs	15	31
Total yards	278	610
Rushing yards	46	122
Passing yards	232	488
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	33:38	26:22

At Houston Baptist

See also: 2019 Houston Baptist Huskies football team.

Statistics	Northwestern State	Houston Baptist
First downs	25	27
Total yards	447	532
Rushing yards	146	266
Passing yards	301	266
Turnovers	3	1
Time of possession	30:36	29:24

Southeastern Louisiana

See also: 2019 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team and Northwestern State–Southeastern Louisiana football rivalry.

Statistics	Southeastern Louisiana	Northwestern State
First downs	26	27
Total yards	537	378
Rushing yards	143	45
Passing yards	394	333
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	30:30	29:30

At Nicholls

See also: 2019 Nicholls Colonels football team and NSU Challenge.

Statistics	Northwestern State	Nicholls
First downs	21	30
Total yards	428	537
Rushing yards	41	349
Passing yards	387	188
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	22:32	37:28

Central Arkansas

See also: 2019 Central Arkansas Bears football team.

Statistics	Central Arkansas	Northwestern State
First downs	23	22
Total yards	388	406
Rushing yards	89	96
Passing yards	299	310
Turnovers	4	2
Time of possession	30:42	29:18

At Incarnate Word

See also: 2019 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team.

Statistics	Northwestern State	Incarnate Word
First downs	19	28
Total yards	358	422
Rushing yards	99	147
Passing yards	259	275
Turnovers	2	3
Time of possession	29:20	30:40

At McNeese State

See also: 2019 McNeese State Cowboys football team and McNeese State–Northwestern State football rivalry.

Statistics	Northwestern State	McNeese State
First downs	18	14
Total yards	314	308
Rushing yards	20	117
Passing yards	294	191
Turnovers	3	2
Time of possession	27:19	32:41

Lamar

See also: 2019 Lamar Cardinals football team.

Statistics	Lamar	Northwestern State
First downs	12	22
Total yards	200	466
Rushing yards	93	177
Passing yards	107	289
Turnovers	2	2
Time of possession	26:44	33:16

At Sam Houston State

See also: 2019 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team.

Statistics	Northwestern State	Sam Houston State
First downs	21	19
Total yards	380	359
Rushing yards	74	135
Passing yards	306	224
Turnovers	1	4
Time of possession	34:17	25:43

Stephen F. Austin

See also: 2019 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team.

Statistics	Stephen F. Austin	Northwestern State
First downs	21	20
Total yards	418	389
Rushing yards	232	56
Passing yards	186	333
Turnovers	3	3
Time of possession	36:37	23:23

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nicholls Voted to Top Spot in 2019 Football Preseason Poll . www.southland.org . August 19, 2019 . en.
2. Web site: Southland Announces 2019 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams . www.southland.org . August 19, 2019 . en.
3. Web site: 2019 Demon Football Schedule . Northwestern State University of Louisiana . February 28, 2019.
4. Web site: SOUTHLAND TV SELECTIONS ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST FOUR WEEKS . Southland Conference . August 14, 2019 . August 13, 2019.