McNeese Opens 2026 Season Against SFA

Lake Charles, Louisiana -There will be no cupcake opener for McNeese or Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night. The longtime Southland Conference rivals will kick off the 2026 season against each other in Lake Charles in a massive early-season conference game.

McNeese enters the season with a strong group of returning players, led by quarterback Jake Strong, running back Tre’Vonte Citizen, and wide receivers Curtis Deville, Kam Senegal and Makai Paris. Defensively, the Cowboys return experience in the secondary, including fifth-year senior Javon Davis, while linebackers Emauri Sibley and Landon Barrett anchor the middle of the defense.

The Cowboys have added a number of transfers that are expected to make an immediate impact.

McNeese finished 5-7 last season but closed the year by winning four of its final six games. Head coach Matt Viator said his team enters this season in better health than it did a year ago. “We are ready to go. A few guys have bumps and bruises, but for the most part we are healthy, said Viator.”

One of the biggest strengths for the Viator's Cowboys should be their running game. McNeese finished last season as the Conference’s top rushing offense and returns Tre’Vonte Citizen and Marquez Davis while adding Omini Wiggins from Louisiana Tech and Hutch Swilly from Louisiana-Lafayette.

KNOW THE OPPONENT: Stephen F Austin Lumberjacks

On the other sideline, Stephen F. Austin enters Cowboy Stadium as the defending Southland Conference champion and one of the top-ranked teams in the FCS. The Lumberjacks went 11-3 last season and finished a perfect 8-0 in conference play.

Despite SFA bringing in plenty of new faces, including two new coordinators, Viator doesn't expect the Lumberjacks to look drastically different. “We don’t expect them to look much different. They are going to have a few different wrinkles, like us, but not much.”

Jared May takes over as SFA's offensive coordinator after previously serving as the program's passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Caid Faske is the new defensive coordinator after previously coaching the Lumberjacks' defensive ends.

SFA also reloaded through the transfer portal, bringing in 39 transfer players.

At quarterback, Gavin Rutherford takes over as the Lumberjacks' starter. The Katy, Texas, native played in 14 games last season, including two starts. He completed 63 percent of his passes for 542 yards and six touchdowns while adding 176 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

Viator said Rutherford's ability to run the football adds another dimension to the SFA offense. “This kid can run, too. He’s a really good runner. He’s athletic. We expect possibly some different stuff to utilize his talents there.”

Elite special teams man, Bugs Mortimer, also returns for the Lumberjacks as one of the most dangerous return specialists in the FCS. Last season, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native set SFA and Southland Conference records with 537 punt return yards while averaging 21.5 yards per return. He also led all NCAA divisions with four punt-return touchdowns and earned All-American honors. Mortimer enters his final season as a preseason All-American and is also on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which is given annually to the top offensive player in the FCS.

Wide receiver Clayton Wayland is back for SFA and is coming off a 40-catch, 526-yard season with five touchdowns, while running back Jaylen Jenkins is the team's top returning rusher after averaging 4.4 yards per carry last season.

McNeese Faces Stephen F Austin To Kickoff 2026 Season on Saturday

The weekend will get started on Friday inside Townsley Law Arena with the annual Cowboy Block Party, with Wayne Toups playing. McNeese and Stephen F Austin will kick off the 2026 season Saturday Night inside Navarre Stadium. The game will kick off at 6:00, and fans can catch the game on ESPN+ or listen live on 92.9 The Lake.