By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
McNeese State (2-3, 1-2 SLC) at No. 11 LSU (3-1, 1-1 SEC)
Saturday, Oct. 3 • 6:45 p.m. • SEC Network
Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (“Death Valley”)
Spread: LSU -53.5 | O/U 61.5
OVERVIEW
No. 11 LSU (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) notched a massive 35-6 win victory over Texas A&M (2-2, 0-2 SEC) in a game as important to the postseason aspirations of the team as it was to the catharsis of its coaches and fan base. But instead of gearing up for a triumphant lap around the home stadium against an in-state FCS program, the Tigers limp into the matchup with McNeese State (2-3, 1-2 Southland Conference) with more concern than braggadocio.
Injuries are piling up for Lane Kiffin’s first LSU squad as they take their final break from SEC play. Three key starters, including both No. 7s will miss extended time, two more reserves have been ruled out for the rest of the season and quarterback Sam Leavitt’s status is up in the air after playing through a hamstring injury. The “buy” game against the Cowboys comes at a perfect time to give starters some much-needed rest after an emotionally and physically taxing start to the season and evaluate the depth of the roster that Kiffin highlighted as a concern.
KEY STORYLINES
Matt Viator Returns
The winningest coach in McNeese football history returned to the program last season. Matt Viator leads the Cowboys into his second year back in Lake Charles after coaching the team from 206-2015. During that time, he led the Cowboys to a 78-33 record and four Southland Conference titles, was named Southland Coach of the Year three times and never had a losing season. After going 19-39 in five seasons at Louisiana-Monroe, Viator spent three seasons as an assistant at Louisiana-Lafayette. McNeese was 5-7 in his first year back at the helm last season and finished 4-4 in conference play. It will take time for him to get the Cowboys back in contention in the SLC, but he has had proven success in Lake Charles and helped produce some of the most successful offenses in school history.
Strength on Strength: Cowboys Run Game vs. LSU Defense
McNeese is third in the SLC and 24th in the FCS, averaging 189.4 rushing yards per game, but its 5.8 average yards per carry is first in the league and sixth in the nation. Louisiana Tech transfer running back Omiri Wiggins leads the conference and ranks No. 20 in the FCS with 375 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 56 attempts. The senior is averaging a staggering 6.7 yards per attempt in his first season as a cowboy and coming off a 116-yard performance against East Texas A&M. The Cowboys will be without their second-leading rusher – quarterback Devin Lippold – after he suffered a season-ending wrist injury. But to support Wiggins in the backfield, they will rely on senior running back Tre’Vonte Citizen. Citizen was a four-star out of Lake Charles College Prep in the class of 2022 and initially committed to LSU before flipping to Miami. He transferred back home in 2024 after a major knee injury kept him off the field his two seasons at Miami and has 24 carries for 85 yards this season. The Tigers’ defense, however, ranks No. 2 in the FBS, allowing just 47.5 rushing yards a game.
Quarterback Carousel
Texas Tech transfer quarterback Jake Strong was the sure-fire returning starting quarterback for the Cowboys this season. He was the scout team quarterback for the Red Raiders for much of the 2024 campaign but did make one start as a true freshman. He led the Cowboys last season and continued in his starting role in Week 1 against Stephen F. Austin, but he left the game in the first half with an injury to his throwing shoulder. Lippold took over for the next three starts, but after his wrist injury, it was Strong’s turn to get the call up. Strong finished last season with 2,008 yards on 164 of 278 passing with 11 TDs and 13 interceptions to go with 469 yards on 117 carries and 7 TDs. This season he is just 28-for-46 for 321 yards two touchdowns and two interceptions. Kiffin has yet to confirm a starting quarterback for Saturday as Leavitt nurses a hamstring injury of unknown severity. He said he would consider not playing some starters against McNeese due to the string of injury luck the Tigers have faced. Elon redshirt sophomore transfer Landen Clark has been his immediate backup and has been electrifying in his limited action. USC redshirt freshman transfer Husan Longstreet, a former five-star, could also get a look as the Tigers’ signal caller.
COWBOYS TO WATCH
RB Omiri Wiggins: Senior LA Tech transfer leads SLC with 375 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 56 attempts
LB Landon Barrett: Senior leads the team with 31 tackles and has three tackles for loss and an interception, named SLC Defensive Player of the Week last week
CB Mason Edwards: Senior led Cowboys in pass break-ups last season and is first in the conference with eight already this season, tallied nine tackles
WR Curtis Deville Jr.: Purdue transfer junior second on team and ninth in SLC with 284 yards on 15 receptions, tied for most in SLC with four receiving touchdowns
STATS AND TRENDS TO KNOW
LSU is 140-25-8 against in-state opponents and has not lost to an in-state team since Tulane in 1982 (31-28).
The Tigers are 2-0 versus McNeese all-time with meetings in 2010 and 2011. Their 2015 game was ruled a no contest after it was canceled due to lightning delays and never rescheduled.
LSU is a perfect 20-0 against FCS opponents since the Division I split in 1978.
THE OUTLOOK
No college football game is a foregone conclusion, but this is as close as it gets. The biggest question Kiffin is facing is how much freedom should he give to Leavitt and other starters at key positions that have already been stretched thin by injury. It will also be an excellent opportunity to evaluate depth options in a live-game setting as the coaching staff irons out rotations in a shifting depth chart. Look for the defensive front to make the Cowboys one dimensional early and the offense to try out new playmakers at the skill positions.
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