l TWO GAMES UNDER:

A win over Southeastern Louisiana would put McNeese back at .500 and give the Cowboys their first Southland Conference victory. A loss would leave them to 2-4 and two games under .500 for the first time since the 2011 season when the Cowboys lost to Stephen F. Austin to fall to 3-5. McNeese also hasn’t lost its first three SLC games since 2004, when the Cowboys lost their first four conference games before winning the season-finale to finish at 1-4 in the SLC.

l TOUGH STRETCH: McNeese’s next three opponents and four of the final seven are ranked in at least one Football Championship Subdivision national poll, either the FCS Coaches Poll or the STATS FCS Top 25 poll — Southeastern Louisiana (19/17), at Central Arkansas (T-10/11), and Houston Baptist (T-25/receiving votes). So a Cowboys team that’s already struggling won’t get a reprieve until Oct. 26 at SFA or Nov. 2 vs. Northwestern State. By that time, even those games may not be likely wins.

l STRENGTH VERSUS WEAKNESS: SLU has one of the best passing offenses in the country (319.3 passing yards per game) while McNeese one of the worst pass defenses (294.6 passing yards allowed per game). The Lions rushing game is near the bottom of the SLC (130.3 rushing ypg) and they will face a Cowboys defense in the top 35 of the FCS at stopping the run (119.6 rushing yards allowed per game). Offensively, McNeese will have to deal with a defense that leads the country in tackles for loss per game (10.5) and third in sacks per game (four) with an offensive line that has struggled.

l PREDICTION: Southeastern Louisiana, 31-10.

David Berry