Stop me if you heard this one before. Two winless teams meet on a football field and…

For a second consecutive week, the Cowboys will play a team just as desperate for victory as they are, but it is nothing to joke about.

McNeese State travels to Texas A&M-Commerce in hopes of avoiding the first 0-6 start in program history. The Cowboys find themselves 0-5 overall and 0-1 in Southland Conference play.

The last time McNeese started 0-5 was 69 years ago, in 1954. The last time the Cowboys lost five in a row was in 1987, when they lost seven straight. A loss would also clinch a fourth consecutive losing season, a dubious feat accomplished once before, from 1967-1970. In contrast, the Cowboys experienced four losing seasons from 1990-2020.

For Commerce (0-4), tonight’s game is the league opener and the Lions’ second home game. The Lions haven’t been in Memorial Stadium since opening weekend.

“Commerce is very similar to us,” said McNeese head coach Gary Goff. “They are looking to get that first win and get going.”

Goff said the Cowboys believe they are close as quarterback Nate Glantz has thrown for 395 yards and three touchdowns over the last two games. All three of his scoring passes have gone to sophomore Jon McCall.

“We are still confident about the season and I believe close to breaking out of it,” Glantz said.

As for any talk about a fractured locker room, Glantz said the Cowboys are all on the same page despite a week that saw two reserve quarterbacks, Tre’ Simmons and Cameron McCalister, leave the program and enter the NCAA transfer portal.

“I am fine with all the decisions some folks have made,” Goff said. “In order for us to turn this program around, we all have to be on the same page going in the same direction.”

“We are together in this,” Glantz said. “We are still working hard. Winning will solve a lot of things.”

The Cowboys say they are hoping a victory in their final game before a bye week could springboard them into a solid second half like a year ago when they won their last three.

“The season hasn’t started the way we want,” Goff said. “We have continued to work hard. I am proud of how the guys have handled it.

“We have to go out there as if we are 5-0.”

The Cowboys will look to take advantage of a Lions defense that is allowing 311 yards a game through the air. For the Cowboys to do that they must take advantage of their chances when Commerce sends pressure.

McNeese has given up 15 sacks, so giving Glantz time to throw will be key.

“They will do a lot of different things on defense,” Goff said of the Lions. “They will put lots of pressure on us, trying to keep our quarterback guessing. And when we get our chance we have to make them pay.

“We want people to pressure us. It gives us a chance to make a play downfield.”

Besides McCall, the Cowboys will be counting on a young group of receivers, including Makhi Paris, a true freshman who is making his third start. He has 12 catches for 174 yards.

On defense, Goff said the goal is simple: make the Lions throw.

“We have to stop the run,” he said.

That has not been easily done. The Cowboys allow an average of 244 yards a game on the ground, worst in the Southland.

The Lions will try to run the ball with Reggie Branch leading the way. Branch has 262 yards on 46 carries and a touchdown.

McNeese will attempt to make Commerce beat them by throwing the football, something the Lions struggle to do. They are last in the SLC averaging 140 yards a game through the air.

The Cowboys will also benefit from a pair of defensive backs returning from injury. Goff said preseason all-SLC pick Javon Davis returns after being injured in the season opener against Tarleton State. Jaylen Jackson comes back after being out the last two games.

“Davis is a physical player who should help against the run as will Jackson,” Goff said.

Still, this game will likely come down to how clean McNeese plays. The Cowboys committed 10 penalties and four turnovers in last week’s loss to Nicholls State.

“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot,” Goff said. “We have to play clean football.”

Commerce has forced 12 turnovers in its four games, including picking off eight passes.