2020 McNeese State Cowboys football team explained
| Year: | 2020 |
| Team: | McNeese State Cowboys |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southland Conference |
| Short Conf: | Southland |
| Record: | 3–4 |
| Conf Record: | 2–4 |
| Head Coach: | Frank Wilson |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | Ronnie Letson |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Grady Brown |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | Cowboy Stadium |
The 2020 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Frank Wilson, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 3–4 with a mark of 2–4 in conference play, tying for fifth place in the Southland. McNeese State played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
On August 13, McNeese State Athletic Department decided to postpone all fall sports with the intent to play in the spring.[1] This decision canceled all games that were to be played from September through November 2020.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Reference(s):[2] |}
Preseason poll
The Southland Conference released their spring preseason poll in January 2021. The Cowboys were picked to finish fourth in the conference.[3] In addition, three Bearkats were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team[4]
| 1 | Nicholls | 67 (7) |
| 2 | Sam Houston State | 65 (6) |
| 3 | Southeastern Louisiana | 48 |
| 4 | McNeese State | 45 (1) |
| 5 | Incarnate Word | 32 |
| 6 | Northwestern State | 20 |
| 7 | Lamar | 17 | |
Preseason All–Southland Teams
Offense
1st Team
- Cyron Sutton – Wide Receiver, SR
Defense
1st Team
- Darion Dunn – Defensive Back, SR
2nd Team
- Cory McCoy – Defensive Back, SR
- Cyron Sutton – Punt Returner, SR
Schedule
[5] [6] [7]
Game summaries
At Tarleton State
See also: 2020 Tarleton State Texans football team.
| Statistics | McNeese State | Tarleton State |
|---|
| First downs | 27 | 25 |
| Total yards | 400 | 408 |
| Rushing yards | 230 | 180 |
| Passing yards | 170 | 228 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 33:32 | 26:28 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 14/34, 170 yards, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Cody Orgeron | 19 carries, 180 yards, 2 TDs |
| Receiving | Deonta McMahon | 2 receptions, 35 yards |
| Tarleton State | Passing | Steven Duncan | 22/39, 217 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Braelon Bridges | 15 carries, 112 yards, 2 TDs |
| Receiving | Tariq Bitson | 5 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TD | |
Incarnate Word
See also: 2020 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team.
| Statistics | Incarnate Word | McNeese State |
|---|
| First downs | 22 | 24 |
| Total yards | 518 | 373 |
| Rushing yards | 209 | 171 |
| Passing yards | 309 | 202 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 25:24 | 34:36 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Incarnate Word | Passing | | 24/35, 306 yards, 4 TDs |
| Rushing | | 10 carries, 117 yards |
| Receiving | Jaelin Campbell | 6 receptions, 93 yards, 1 TD |
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 18/32, 202 yards |
| Rushing | Cody Orgeron | 18 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Joshua Matthews | 4 receptions, 65 yards | |
At Southeastern Louisiana
See also: 2020 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team.
| Statistics | McNeese State | Southeastern Louisiana |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 26 |
| Total yards | 331 | 492 |
| Rushing yards | 166 | 191 |
| Passing yards | 165 | 301 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:59 | 29:01 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 13/20, 165 yards, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | AJ Carter | 15 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Severyn Foster | 2 receptions, 75 yards |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | | 21/39, 301 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Morgan Ellison | 15 carries, 127 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Javon Conner | 5 receptions, 104 yards | |
Lamar
See also: 2020 Lamar Cardinals football team and Battle of the Border (Lamar–McNeese State).
| Statistics | Lamar | McNeese State |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 18 |
| Total yards | 330 | 399 |
| Rushing yards | 223 | 321 |
| Passing yards | 107 | 78 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 38:15 | 36:45 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Lamar | Passing | Jalen Dummett | 8/11, 100 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Marcellus Johnson | 6 carries, 86 yards |
| Receiving | Kirkland Banks | 4 receptions, 41 yards |
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 9/16, 78 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Carlos Williams | 16 carries, 90 yards, 2 TDs |
| Receiving | Jamal Pettigrew | 1 reception, 31 yards | |
At Northwestern State
See also: 2020 Northwestern State Demons football team and McNeese State–Northwestern State football rivalry.
| Statistics | McNeese State | Northwestern State |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 21 |
| Total yards | 416 | 394 |
| Rushing yards | 110 | 33 |
| Passing yards | 306 | 361 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:36 | 29:24 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 17/22, 306 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | Josh Parker | 16 carries, 77 yards |
| Receiving | Trevor Begue | 8 receptions, 165 yards, 1 TD |
| Northwestern State | Passing | Kaleb Fletcher | 13/18, 171 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Scooter Adams | 8 carries, 37 yards |
| Receiving | Javon Antonio | 6 receptions, 103 yards | |
Nicholls
See also: 2020 Nicholls Colonels football team.
| Statistics | Nicholls | McNeese State |
|---|
| First downs | 29 | 21 |
| Total yards | 562 | 541 |
| Rushing yards | 273 | 187 |
| Passing yards | 289 | 354 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 35:26 | 24:34 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Nicholls | Passing | | 26/53, 289 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 28 carries, 137 yards |
| Receiving | K. J. Franklin | 4 receptions, 76 yards |
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 20/27, 354 yards, 4 TDs |
| Rushing | Deonta McMahon | 11 carries, 111 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Joshua Matthews | 7 receptions, 147 yards, 2 TDs | |
At Sam Houston State
See also: 2020 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team.
| Statistics | McNeese State | Sam Houston State |
|---|
| First downs | 19 | 19 |
| Total yards | 328 | 392 |
| Rushing yards | 37 | 190 |
| Passing yards | 291 | 202 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 30:02 | 29:58 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| McNeese State | Passing | Cody Orgeron | 27/42, 291 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Cody Orgeron | 18 carries, 18 yards |
| Receiving | Joshua Matthews | 6 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD |
| Sam Houston State | Passing | Eric Schmid | 12/24, 202 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Eric Schmid | 15 carries, 92 yards |
| Receiving | Jequez Ezzard | 3 receptions, 87 yards | |
Notes and References
- Web site: McNeese postpones all fall sports competition . McNeese State University Athletics . August 20, 2020 .
- Web site: Frank Wilson announces signing class, introduces coaches . McNeese State University Athletics . 23 March 2020 . en.
- Web site: Nicholls Favored to Win Southland Football Spring Season . www.southland.org . 8 August 2021 . en.
- Web site: Southland Announces 2020 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams . www.southland.org . 8 August 2021 . en.
- Web site: Southland Conference Postponed Spring Football Schedule Announced . www.southland.org . September 22, 2020 .
- Web site: . McNeese Cowboys Schedule 2020 . . June 20, 2023 .
- Web site: . 2021 Spring Football Schedule . McNeese State University Athletics . June 20, 2023 .
