It likely won’t be known until Saturday once again who will start at quarterback for the Cowboys.

McNeese State heads to Nicholls to finish a four-game road trip that has had them away from Cowboys Stadium for all of October, where they are 3-0.

“We have one more to go and then we will be happy to get back home,” said McNeese head coach Gary Goff Wednesday night. “It will be good to play again at home, but we have to finish this road stretch strong.”

To do that, the Cowboys are going to have to hit some big plays in all likelihood no matter which quarterback is in the huddle.

“We will have to take our shots, but we need to connect on those also,” said Goff. “We have to show we can make some plays downfield to loosen up their defense.”

That, in turn, will give the running game room to operate.

That won’t be easy, however. The Nicholls defense is one of the best in all of FCS at stopping the run.

The Colonels (3-4, 1-1 in the Southland Conference) will enter Saturday’s game at Guidry Stadium the second-toughest to run against in the nation. Nicholls allows just 64.3 yards a game on the ground, second only to Mercer at 41.3.

“They get all 11 people to the football,” said Goff. 

On 189 rushing attempts, opponents are averaging just 2.38 yards. Nicholls has allowed a nation’s best just three rushing touchdowns all season.

That will put pressure on the McNeese passing game and whoever is taking snaps.

And just for good measure, the Colonels are tied for second in the country with 13 interceptions from 12 different players. Two of those have been returned for scores.

McNeese is hoping to get back transfer QB Clifton McDowell from a hand injury that forced him to miss last week’s game against Incarnate Word.

McDowell is still fourth in the country in running TDs for quarterbacks with six despite missing 2½ games already this season. That number has him ninth overall on the FCS level.

He leads McNeese averaging 61.7 yards a game on the ground.

The Cowboys are 4-2 in games he has started, though it is fair to note that he missed games against probably the two toughest opponents, Texas A&M and UIW.

If McDowell can’t go again that will mean redshirt freshman Kamden Sixkiller will get his third start of the season. Sixkiller isn’t the same runner as McDowell, but he has had some solid moments as well for the 4-4 Cowboys.

“Six had a good game last week,” said Goff. “He has done some good things and is learning. We have to be able to help him out more with the running game and making plays around him.”

The team believes it can win with either quarterback.

“We have confidence in both,” said sophomore receiver Jer’Michael Carter. “We have worked with both of them and have chemistry with each. It’s a matter of us making plays.”

The Cowboys could use getting the run game going.

“We want to be balanced and want to make some big plays,” said Goff. “This will be a physical game for sure.”

A few big plays could prove the difference.