McNeese Football Looks to Fix Mistakes After SFA Loss

Lake Charles, Louisiana - McNeese head coach Matt Viator walked into Monday’s press conference with plenty to be unhappy about following Saturday night’s 38-27 loss to 13th-ranked Stephen F. Austin. But he also saw plenty of reasons to believe the Cowboys can turn things around and build upon following the opening night loss on Saturday.

Despite the disappointing opening-night loss, Viator believes McNeese has the players to make those corrections. “I think this team's got a chance,” he said. “I really do, if we can put it all together.”

The Cowboys opened the 2026 season in front of 10,680 fans at Navarre Stadium, and they greeted those fans with an exciting start by jumping on SFA early. The Cowboys drove 75 yards in just five plays, capped by a 45-yard touchdown pass from Jake Strong to Elisha Edwards.

From there, however, things quickly went in the wrong direction. SFA scored 31 straight points and built a 38-13 lead before McNeese began its comeback.

“We kept playing, kept competing, got back in it,” Viator said Monday. “Which is something that I don't think we did a very good job of at the beginning of last year. So definitely showed a little bit of improvement. I think the mistakes are fixable,” Viator said. “Some of the stuff from a communication standpoint, preparation standpoint, some of that's on us. So I think it's fixable.”

Turnovers & 1st Downs Prove To Be Issue Against SFA

The biggest issue for McNeese on Saturday night was a combination of turnovers and bad first-down plays.

The Cowboys committed three turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble by Strong that set up an SFA field goal after the Lumberjacks recovered at the McNeese 20. SFA also turned one of its interceptions into a touchdown when Makai Frisby returned Strong's pass 35 yards for a score.

One of the biggest offensive concerns was McNeese's inability to stay ahead of the chains. “That killed us; it was first-down plays,” Viator said. “They did a nice job of really pressuring on first down. We need to do a better job on first down, without a doubt,” he said.

McNeese still wound up finishing with approximately 410 total yards, including 200 on the ground and 210 through the air. “If you would have given me 410 yards before the game, said you would have 200 yards rushing, 210 yards passing, without the turnovers, I probably would have taken it,” Viator said.

One of the key bright spots on offense was Transfer running back Omiri Wiggins, who wasted little time showing why McNeese was excited to add him. Wiggins rushed for 126 yards on just 12 carries, averaging 10.5 yards per attempt. His biggest play came in the third quarter when he blasted through the line and sprinted 75 yards for a touchdown.

Strong Injured, Lippold Plays Well in 2nd Half

It was certainly not the first half that McNeese had wanted, and that continued when Quarterback Jake Strong exited the game after halftime due to a shoulder injury. After halftime, McNeese's offense, led by Devon Lippold, tried to mount a comeback. Lippold completed 10 of 18 passes for 118 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Status of Jake Strong

Viator said Strong is day-to-day and did not throw or participate in Monday's practice. The good news is that nothing currently indicates the injury will be long-term, but Strong is sore.

What's next? Viator would like to see the quarterback able to participate by Wednesday before making a decision. If Strong can't play, Lippold would likely remain the starter, with freshman Brady currently listed as the No. 2 quarterback.

McNeese Will Turn The Page To Saturday's Matchup with Texas Wesleyan

Now, McNeese will have a chance to rebound after hosting the defending conference champions to start the season by taking on a NAIA opponent, Texas Wesleyan. The Rams will view this as an opportunity to play up in competition and potentially play spoiler, much like their conference rival Louisiana Christian did last week when upsetting Northwestern State.

McNeese will face Texas Wesleyan on Saturday Night inside Navarre Stadium, with kickoff set for 6:00.