HCU Huskies (4-5, 3-3 SLC) vs. McNeese Cowboys (4-5, 3-3 SLC)
Saturday, Nov. 7 – 4 p.m.
Husky Stadium – Houston, Texas
Watch
Listen
Live Stats
HOUSTON – With the calendar flipping to November, the final month of the regular season, the HCU football team begins its final three-game stretch with a Homecoming matchup against the McNeese Cowboys at Husky Stadium for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff. Saturday's game is presented by Memorial Herman.
The Huskies (4-5, 3-3 SLC) are looking to get back in the win column after consecutive road losses to opponents ranked in the top-15. Last weekend, in a trip to Nacogdoches against No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, the Huskies added to their impressive forced fumble total by knocking the ball loose twice to give the team 19 fumbles forced nine games. HCU continues to lead the Southland Conference in the category while safety
Javon Bejarano leads the nation with four forced fumbles.
Through nine games, HCU leads the nation in punt returns with an average of 27.88 yards per return. Five different players have returned a punt for the Huskies so far with
Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox recording a team-high three returns for 64 yards. Six of HCU's eight punt returns this season have gone for at least 22 yards.
Elijah Harris's 52-yard punt return for a touchdown against Arkansas Baptist is the longest of the season for the Huskies.
Jamaal Hall II hauled in nine receptions last weekend against the Lumberjacks for 112 yards and leads the team for the season with 32 catches for 529 yards. He's just three catches away from entering the single-season top-10 list at HCU and his 529 yards receiving ranks seventh on the program's single-season list.
McNeese (4-5, 3-3 SLC) is coming off a 16-3 home victory over Nicholls last weekend but the Cowboys have yet to win consecutive games this season. Away from home, the Cowboys are just 1-3 with the lone win a 24-21 decision against Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La.
The Cowboys have played two quarterbacks in each of the last two games with Jake Strong and Brady Barrier both seeing snaps. Strong has completed 53-of-101 attempts for 635 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Running back Omiri Wiggins leads McNeese on the ground and is third in the Southland with 584 yards. Senior linebacker leads the defense with 69 tackles while Royce Maloles and RJ Staten are tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks.
HCU is 2-6 all-time against the Cowboys, winning two of the last three meetings. Two years ago, the Huskies earned their first-ever win over a ranked opponent in a dominant 43-22 win over a McNeese team ranked No. 22 in the nation.
The Huskies will trek to Louisiana for their penultimate game of the season, heading to Natchitoches on Saturday, Nov. 14, to face the Northwestern State Demons at 1:00 p.m. inside Turpin Stadium.
