The excitement surrounding the McNeese Cowboys football program is at an all-time high in my life as a fan.

McNeese Cowboys Cheerleaders
Joey Jinks Photography
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The Pokes finished the 2021 season with a disappointing 4-7 record including a crushing first game loss to Division II opponent West Florida. With many teams departing the Southland Conference and the unexpected news that our head coach Frank Wilson was resigning to rejoin the LSU Tigers coaching staff, the future was uncertain for the football program.

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McNeese entertained leaving the Southland for the newly reformed WAC Conference for a cup of coffee. Ultimately deciding to stay in the Southland after the conference gave the university and Lake Charles the opportunity to host almost every conference sports event and tournament for the next five years.

McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer went on a nationwide search for a new head coach. After his search concluded, it was announced that the program would be hiring Gary Goff as the 18th head football coach for McNeese.

Coach Goff comes from a very successful stint the last two seasons as the Head Coach of the same university he played for in college, Valdosta State. Goff compiled a 22-3 overall record and 14-1 in Gulf South Conference play. His teams also won 14 of their 15 home games during his time. He helped lead the Blazers to the DII National Championship this past season.

Coach Goff is very familiar with the Cowboys as he was offensive coordinator for the Southeastern Lions during the 2003 - 2004 season.

You can feel the excitement around SWLA for the upcoming 2022 McNeese football season. Coach Goff is bringing his high octane air raid offense to The Hole and he promised to fire the cannon a lot this season.

McNeese Football 2022 Schedule:

9/3 at Montana State Bobcats
9/10 at Rice Owls
9/17 vs Alcorn State Braves
9/24 vs Mississippi College Choctaws
10/1 vs Houston Baptist Huskies*
10/15 at Texas A&M-Commerce Lions*
10/22 at Nicholls Colonels*
10/29 vs Southeastern La. Lions*
11/5 vs Eastern Illinois Panthers
11/12 vs Nicholls Colonels*
11/19 at Northwestern State Demons*

(* Southland Conference games)

McNeese State University
McNeese State University
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The first game of the season will be a great litmus test on where the Cowboys stand. The Bobcats were in the FCS Championship game last season. Then right after that, the Pokes head down I-10 to Houston to play FBS university Rice.

Another exciting element to this season is that the Southland Conference has partnered with the Ohio Valley Conference to bridge the gap between losing so many teams to the WAC. Currently, the Southland Conference only has six football-playing universities in their ranks and that includes Texas A&M-Commerce, who are in the probation phase of joining the conference. The Pokes will play the Eastern Illinois Panthers of the OVC at home on Saturday, November 5.

92.9 The Lake is the official radio home of McNeese Football. Join us every week for pregame coverage, all the bone-crushing action on the field, and postgame analysis. Tune in your radio every gameday to 92.9 FM, listen on our free mobile app, or stream the Pokes online on our website.

Geaux Pokes!

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