It’s a rivalry that has been on sabbatical.

After battling 71 straight years, the Cowboys haven’t played Northwestern State since 2021.

The two will finally get back together Saturday in Natchitoches. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. inside Turpin Stadium.

“It has been a few years since we have played them,” said McNeese head coach Gary Goff. “I have never played against them.”

In fact, both teams will have coaches making their debut against the other program. Goff is in his third season at McNeese, as he continues his attempt to rebuild the Cowboys.

McNeese enters the game 5-5 overall and 2-3 in the Southland Conference with two games remaining. If the Cowboys win both, they will post the first winning season since 2019.

McNeese finishes the year at home against Lamar the following week after winning just one game last year. That was a forfeit victory over the Demons, who canceled five games after the shooting death of one of their players.

While McNeese has bounced back somewhat, the Demons are still struggling. They are winless coming into this contest at 0-10, 0-5 under new coach Blaine McCorkle.

With 18 straight losses on the field and 22 counting forfeits, McCorkle has his work cut out for himself and his staff.

“I’m excited for this game,” said McCorkle. “This has been a tradition Southland rivalry. We want to get back up to par where it is a rivalry again.”

Despite the Demons’ record, McNeese expects this to be a tough game.

“I want our guys to focus on this game,” said Goff. “They are going to come at us hard and we will get their best. They will play us hard.”

The Cowboys are hoping to get more out of their passing game. In their last outing Kamden Sixkiller was just 2-for-11 with two interceptions and 60 yards. He did have a touchdown pass. It was Sixkiller’s first win in seven six starts.

However, the running game as McNeese ran for 367 yards, third most in program history. Bryce Strong and Joshon Barbie each ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown in the rout of East Texas A&M when they were still known as Texas A&M-Commerce.

“They are very talented,” McCorkle said of McNeese. “They really rebuilt their roster and I take my hat off to them.”

The Demons struggle on both sides of the ball. They allow almost 45 points a game, the worst in the Southland. They also score the least at just under 12. They are last in rushing, passing offense, and defense.

They have been outscored 448 to 117, an average final score of 44.8-11.7.

McNeese would like to finish with three straight wins for the second time in Goff’s tenure, giving a lot for the Cowboys to build on. It would also be their second three-game win streak of the season.

For that to happen they can’t take their rivals lightly.

“Hopefully we have learned that lesson earlier this season,” Goff said.