McNeese Set For Rivalry Matchup With UL-Lafayette For First Time Since 2016

Lake Charles, Louisiana (KNGT-FM) - Rivalries are meant to be played. In this case, it will be the first meeting between the two longtime rivals since the 2016 season. McNeese and UL-Lafayette will meet up on Saturday Night inside the newly renovated Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.

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For one fan base, all they want this weekend is to find a way to spoil the party of their longtime rival, whereas the other just views it as the next opponent on the schedule, at least that's what their fan base will tell you. Now, with the opening weekend loss to Rice, one would guess this game will mean a little more than they're letting it off to be...

It is a bit ironic that the first matchup in quite a while between the longtime rivals just happens to be in the return season of Former McNeese Head Coach and recent analyst in Lafayette, Matt Viator.

Now, don't get it twisted, even after being on the other side of the fence for the last few seasons, Viator still realizes how big a game this is to the Cowboys faithful.. “Growing up in Lake Charles, I know exactly how big McNeese-UL games are to the people here."

“I know how much this matchup means to our fans, and I’m sure it’s just as important for them, especially coming off last week. For us, though, it’s about keeping our same routine. We’ll practice and prepare just like we did last week.”

READ MORE: See Full 2025 McNeese Football Schedule

For the Cajuns, things did not go as planned last Saturday against the Rice Owls. The offense sputtered at times, while the defense showed real signs of dominance at times. The real bummer for the Cajuns happened in the 4th Quarter when coveted Quarterback Transfer and local kid Walker Howard left the game with an injury.

It was officially announced on Wednesday that Howard will remain out for this week's matchup with McNeese, and Daniel Beale will get the start for the Cajuns.

Additional news came on Thursday Evening when reports surfaced that Howard is likely to miss the remainder of the Cajuns season.

Earlier in the week, Matt Viator said they would prepare for all three Quarterbacks, but expected it to be Beale and Winfield to get the reps on Saturday. But says that it doesn't really matter who is under center, the goal for the Cajuns' offense is still the same...

“We’ll prepare for all three, but UL is going to do what they do — run the football, stop the run, and not beat themselves. That’s their identity, and that’s why they’ve had so much success."

READ MORE: McNeese Football Tailgaiting Guide

For McNeese, everything went as smoothly as it possibly could in the return of Matt Viator. Offensively, Jake Strong was as advertised, completing 22/39 passes for 329 yards and 3 scores, becoming the first Quarterback in Cowboy history to throw for over 300 yards in his McNeese debut.

Earlier in the week, Matt Viator reiterated the praise for the receivers after a strong showing against Louisiana Christian after a slow start to fall camp, but Viator says he was even more impressed with the Cowboy secondary.

“I was pleased with how our receivers stepped up and made plays after struggling a bit in scrimmages. Our defensive front played as expected, but I was really encouraged by the progress of our secondary. A lot of those new guys showed up ready to compete.”

READ MORE: Cowboy Stadium Renamed to Navarre Stadium

Now, anyone saying McNeese is back to its' old ways after defeating Louisiana Christian is drinking way too much of the sauce, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. McNeese has played lesser opponents in recent years and hasn't handled them as well as they did on Saturday inside Navarre Stadium. The next month will tell you fans a lot about the new look McNeese Football team.

Speaking of new looks, what are the folks in Lafayette wanting to be called these days? Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana, or USL? I guess I'll just stick to Ragin' Cajuns for now...

McNeese will take on the Cajuns on Saturday Night inside Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium, where there is expected to be a nice crowd inside the recently renovated stadium. The game is slated for a 7:00 kickoff and can be seen on ESPN+ or heard on the McNeese Sports Network with Tom Hoefer and Mark Young on 92.9 The Lake.