2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team

2002 McNeese State Cowboys football
Southland champion
ConferenceSouthland Football League
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 2
Record13–2 (6–0 Southland)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Viator (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorLance Guidry (1st season)
Home stadiumCowboy Stadium
2002 Southland Football League standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 $^   6 0     13 2  
No. 16 Northwestern State ^   4 2     9 4  
No. 23 Nicholls State   3 3     7 4  
Stephen F. Austin   3 3     6 5  
Jacksonville State   2 4     5 6  
Sam Houston State   2 4     4 7  
Southwest Texas State   1 5     4 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Football League during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Tommy Tate, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 13–2 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Southland title. McNeese State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, beating Montana State in the first round, Montana in the quarterfinals, and Villanova in the semifinals, before losing to Western Kentucky in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 31No. 10 Grambling State*No. 11W 52–2020,300[1]
September 7at No. 8 Youngstown State*No. 6W 28–1317,829[2]
September 14at Louisiana–Monroe*No. 3W 24–1910,091[3]
September 28Western Kentucky*No. 2
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
W 38–1316,840[4]
October 5at Nebraska*No. 2L 14–3877,192[5]
October 19Jacksonville StateNo. 2
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
W 28–2015,600[6]
October 26at Sam Houston StateNo. 2W 47–106,110[7]
November 2Stephen F. AustinNo. 2W 42–138,437[8]
November 9Southwest Texas StateNo. 2
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
W 47–715,200[9]
November 16at No. 7 Northwestern StateNo. 2W 27–317,031[10]
November 23No. 17 Nicholls StateNo. 1
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA
W 33–218,221[11]
November 30No. 24 Montana State*No. 1
W 21–1416,211[12]
December 7No. 9 Montana*No. 1
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)
W 24–2015,758[13]
December 14No. 12 Villanova*No. 1
  • Cowboy Stadium
  • Lake Charles, LA (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)
W 39–2816,517[14]
December 20No. 15 Western Kentucky*No. 1L 14–3412,360[15]

[16]

References

  1. ^ "Cowboys give GSU a rough ride". The News-Star. September 1, 2002. Retrieved March 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Pokes double Youngstown score". Southwest Daily News. September 8, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "ULM falls at home to McNeese State". The Shreveport Times. September 15, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Hilltoppers fall 38–13 at No. 2 McNeese State". Messenger-Inquirer. September 29, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Lord has no mercy on McNeese State". The Huntsville Times. October 6, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "McNeese State holds off Jacksonville State 28–20". The Leesville Daily Leader. October 20, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "McNeese 47, SHS 10". Daily World. October 27, 2002. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "McNeese crushes Stephen F. Austin 42–13". Beauregard Daily News. November 3, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "McNeese State's King runs for two TDs in blowout of Southwest Texas". Austin American-Statesman. November 10, 2002. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Cowboys claim SLC". The Daily Advertiser. November 17, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Cowboys outlast Nicholls State". Southwest Daily News. November 24, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Bobcats fall to McNeese State". The Daily Inter Lake. December 1, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Cowboys advance with backup QB". The Salt Lake Tribune. December 8, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Villaova tumbles in I-AA seminfinals". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 15, 2002. pp. D1, D4 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "W. Kentucky avenges early loss". The News-Star. December 21, 2002. Retrieved July 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "McNeese State - 2002 Football Schedule". McNeese State Sports. Retrieved January 30, 2019.