2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team

American college football season

2013 McNeese State Cowboys football
[REDACTED]
NCAA Division I Second Round, L 10–31 vs. Jacksonville State
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 11
FCS Coaches	No. 9
Record	10–3 (6–1 Southland)
Head coach	Matt Viator (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Tim Leger (7th season)
Defensive coordinator	Lance Guidry (1st season)
Home stadium	Cowboy Stadium
Seasons← 2012 2014 →

2013 Southland Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana $^	7	–	0	11	–	3
No. 11 McNeese State ^	6	–	1	10	–	3
No. 14 Sam Houston State ^	4	–	3	9	–	5
Central Arkansas	4	–	3	7	–	5
Northwestern State	3	–	4	6	–	6
Lamar	2	–	5	5	–	7
Nicholls State	1	–	6	4	–	8
Stephen F. Austin	1	–	6	3	–	9

$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2013 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Matt Viator, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, placing second in the Southland. McNeese State received an at-large bid to NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first-round bye, the Cowboys lost in the second round to Jacksonville State. The team played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 pm	at South Florida*		Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	ESPN3	W 53–21	35,470
September 7	7:30 pm	Arkansas-Pine Bluff*	No. 18	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	CSNH	W 58–14	15,217
September 14	7:00 pm	West Alabama*	No. 13	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		W 44–42	10,107
September 21	7:00 pm	Weber State*	No. 12	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		W 43–6	8,893
September 28	4:00 pm	at No. 5 Northern Iowa*	No. 9	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA		L 6–41	12,325
October 5	3:00 pm	at No. 14 Central Arkansas	No. 11	Estes Stadium Conway, AR (Red Beans and Rice Bowl)	SLCTV	W 59–28	10,247
October 19	7:00 pm	No. 2 Sam Houston State	No. 9	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	ESPN3	W 31–23	15,352
October 26	3:00 pm	at Nicholls State	No. 4	John L. Guidry Stadium Thobodaux, LA		W 55–30	5,988
November 2	7:00 pm	No. 25 Southeastern Louisiana	No. 4	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA		L 7–41	14,898
November 9	3:00 pm	at Stephen F. Austin	No. 11	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX		W 69–38	6,312
November 16	7:00 pm	Northwestern State	No. 9	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (rivalry)	ESPN3	W 43–17	15,003
November 23	3:00 pm	at Lamar	No. 6	Provost Umphrey Stadium Beaumont, TX (Battle of the Border)		W 42–38	7,627
December 7	6:00 pm	No. 20 Jacksonville State*	No. 6	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (NCAA Division I Second Round)	ESPN3	L 10–31	5,036
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Game summaries

South Florida

McNeese State at South Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Cowboys	2	31	10	10	53
Bulls	7	0	7	7	21

Date: August 31
Location: Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, FL
Game start: 7:00 PM EST
Elapsed time: 3:15
Game attendance: 35,470
Game weather: 88 °F (31 °C), Cloudy
Referee: Todd LaPenta
TV announcers (ESPN3): Drew Fellios, Doug Graber, and Tiffany Greene

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	12:47	USF	Marcus Shaw 80-yard touchdown run, Marvin Kloss kick good	USF 7–0

1	7:55	MCN	30-yard Team Safety	USF 7–2

2	11:02	MCN	Kelvin Bennett 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 9–7

2	10:38	MCN	Dylan Long 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 16–7

2	6:47	MCN	Nic Jacobs 22-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 23–7

2	3:13	MCN	Jean Breaux 47-yard Field Goal	MCN 26–7

2	0:12	MCN	Guy Morgan 76-yard Interception return for a touchdown, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 33–7

3	12:46	MCN	Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 40–7

3	11:23	USF	Stephen Bravo-Brown 59-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Eveld, Marvin Kloss kick good	MCN 40–14

3	4:23	MCN	Ryan Rome 32-yard Field Goal	MCN 43–14

4	13:57	USF	Andre Davis 7-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Eveld, Marvin Kloss kick good	MCN 43–21

4	12:59	MCN	Nic Jacobs 22-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 50–21

4	5:37	MCN	Ryan Rome 24-yard Field Goal	MCN 53–21

McNeese State received $400,000 to play the upper division (FBS) South Florida Bulls to open the 2013 season for both programs. The Bulls prior record as an FBS team playing against FCS teams was 23–0; USF was a 20.5 point favorite before the game. The Cowboys spoiled Willie Taggart's debut as the Bulls' head coach, winning 53–21. The 32-point margin was the largest margin of victory by any FCS team over an FBS team since Division I was split into FBS and FCS in 1978.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Arkansas–Pine Bluff at McNeese State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Lions	7	7	0	0	14
• #18 Cowboys	14	23	14	7	58

Date: September 7
Location: Cowboy Stadium
Lake Charles, LA
Game start: 7:37 PM CST
Elapsed time: 2:48
Game attendance: 15,217
Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), Cloudy, Winds SSW @ 6mph
Referee: Ken Ray
TV announcers (CSNH): David Saltzman, ND Kalu & Bart Enis

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	11:40	MCN	Marcus Wiltz 12-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 7–0

1	6:00	UAPB	Jamie Smith 7-yard touchdown run, Tyler Strickland kick good	Tied 7–7

1	0:24	MCN	Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 14–7

2	14:30	UAPB	Jeremiah Young 2-yard touchdown run, Tyler Strickland kick good	Tied 14–14

2	12:32	MCN	Tyler Bolfing 7-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 21–14

2	11:42	MCN	1-yard Team Safety	MCN 23–14

2	10:11	MCN	Marcus Wiltz 22-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 30–14

2	0:41	MCN	Marcus Wiltz 6-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 37–14

3	14:12	MCN	Ernest Celestie 33-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 44–14

3	1:56	MCN	Dylan Long 12-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 51–14

4	9:58	MCN	Jontrey Tillman 9-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 58–14

West Alabama

Weber State

Weber State at McNeese State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	6	0	0	0	6
• #12 Cowboys	7	10	13	13	43

Date: September 21
Location: Cowboy Stadium
Lake Charles, LA
Game start: 7:00 PM CST
Elapsed time: 2:53
Game attendance: 8,893
Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), Cloudy w/ 70% chance of rain, Winds NNE @ 12mph
Referee: C. Castleberry

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	9:41	WSU	Cam Livingston 48-yard touchdown pass from Austin Chipoletti, Austin Chipoletti rush failed	WSU 6–0

1	2:55	MCN	Wallace Scott 69-yard Interception returned for a touchdown, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 7–6

2	14:45	MCN	Kelvin Bennett 48-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 14–6

2	5:40	MCN	Ryan Rome 35-yard Field Goal	MCN 17–6

3	7:15	MCN	Ernest Celestie 43-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick good	MCN 24–6

3	1:36	MCN	Marcus Wiltz 11-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick blocked	MCN 30–6

4	14:49	MCN	Ernest Celestie 60-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick failed	MCN 36–6

4	9:55	MCN	Kelvin Bennett 50-yard touchdown run, Jean Breaux kick good	MCN 43–6

Northern Iowa

McNeese State at Northern Iowa

	1	2	3	4	Total
#9 Cowboys	0	0	6	0	6
• #5 Panthers	7	10	14	10	41

Date: September 28
Location: UNI-Dome
Cedar Falls, IA
Game attendance: 12,325

Sources:

Central Arkansas

McNeese State at Central Arkansas

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #11 Cowboys	7	35	7	10	59
#14 Bears	7	14	7	0	28

Date: October 5
Location: Estes Stadium
Conway, AR
Television network: SLCTV

Sources:

Sam Houston State

McNeese State at Sam Houston State

	1	2	3	4	Total
#9 Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0
#2 Bearkats	0	0	0	0	0

Date: October 19
Location: Bowers Stadium
Huntsville, TX
Television network: ESPN3

Sources:

Nicholls State

McNeese State at Nicholls State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0
Colonels	0	0	0	0	0

Date: October 26
Location: John L. Guidry Stadium
Thibodaux, LA

Sources:

Southeastern Louisiana

Southeastern Louisiana at McNeese State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	0	0	0	0
Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0

Date: November 2
Location: Cowboy Stadium
Lake Charles, LA

Sources:

Stephen F. Austin

McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #11 Cowboys	21	24	17	7	69
Lumberjacks	24	0	7	7	38

Date: November 9
Location: Homer Bryce Stadium
Nacogdoches, TX

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	9:37	SFA	Tyler Boyd 62-yard touchdown pass from Brady Attaway, Jordan Wiggs kick	SFA 7–0

1	9:25	MCNS	Diontae Spencer 93-yard kickoff return, Ryan Rome kick	Tied 7–7

1	7:16	SFA	Jordan Wiggs 20-yard field goal	SFA 10–7

1	5:07	SFA	Tyler Boyd 17-yard touchdown pass from Brady Attaway, Jordan Wiggs kick	SFA 17–7

1	4:53	MCNS	Diontae Spencer 85-yard kickoff return, Ryan Rome kick	SFA 17–14

1	4:39	SFA	Mike Brooks 100-yard kickoff return, Jordan Wiggs kick	SFA 24–14

1	2:09	MCNS	Marcus Wiltz 2-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick	SFA 24–21

2	8:08	MCNS	Ernest Celestie 71-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 28–24

2	7:24	MCNS	Zack Hetrick 4-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 35–24

2	2:37	MCNS	Diontae Spencer 10-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 42–24

2	0:05	MCNS	Ryan Rome 22-yard field goal	MCNS 45–24

3	7:54	MCNS	Ryan Rome 23-yard field goal	MCNS 48–24

3	7:20	SFA	Marquis Mosley 51-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Boyd, Jordan Wiggs kick	MCNS 48–31

3	5:29	MCNS	Dylan Long 1-yard touchdown run, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 55–31

3	3:29	MCNS	Diontae Spencer 9-yard touchdown pass from Cody Stroud, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 62–31

4	8:36	MCNS	Diontae Spencer 35-yard punt return, Ryan Rome kick	MCNS 69–31

4	3:38	MCNS	Braxton Beardon 11-yard pass from Joe Minden, Jordan Wiggs kick	MCNS 69–38

Northwestern State

Northwestern State at McNeese State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Demons	0	0	0	0	0
Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0

Date: November 16
Location: Cowboy Stadium
Lake Charles, LA
Television network: ESPN3

Sources:

Lamar

McNeese State at Lamar

	1	2	3	4	Total
Demons	0	0	0	0	0
Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0

Date: November 23
Location: Provost Umphrey Stadium
Beaumont, TX

Sources:

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
Sports Network	—	18	13	12	9	11	9	9	4	4	11	9	6	6	11
Coaches	—	20	18	13	9	14	11	10	7	7	13	11	8	6	9

Media

All McNeese State games were broadcast on Gator 99.5 FM. KVHP 30.2 is the local affiliate for SLC TV and aired McNeese State games on SLC TV.

References

"McNeese Cowboys Schedule 2013". ESPN. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
"2013 Football Schedule". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
^ Auman, Greg (August 31, 2013). "McNeese State Hands USF Bulls Humbling Loss". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
^ Auman, Greg (August 31, 2013). "McNeese State Ranks Among USF Bulls' Worst Losses". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 3, 2013.

v t e McNeese Cowboys football
Venues	Killen Field (1951–1953) Wildcat Stadium (1954–1964) Cowboy Stadium (1965–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Central Arkansas: Red Beans and Rice Bowl Lamar: Battle of the Border Louisiana: Cajun Crown Northwestern State
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1940–1950 (junior college) 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Southland Conference
Members	East Texas A&M Lions Houston Christian Huskies Incarnate Word Cardinals Lamar Cardinals and Lady Cardinals McNeese Cowboys and Cowgirls Nicholls Colonels New Orleans Privateers Northwestern State Demons and Lady Demons Southeastern Louisiana Lions and Lady Lions Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Islanders UTRGV Vaqueros (adding football in 2025)
Beach volleyball-only members	Boise State Broncos San Jose State Spartans
Golf-only members	Augusta Jaguars (men & women) Francis Marion Patriots (men)
Tennis-only members	Bryant Bulldogs (men) NJIT Highlanders (men & women)
Related entities	Southland Bowling League (2015–2023)

Categories: