2000 McNeese State Cowboys football team

The 2000 McNeese State Cowboys football team was an American football team that represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference (Southland) during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their first year under head coach Tommy Tate, the team compiled an overall record of 8–4, with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, and finished tied for second in the Southland. The Cowboys advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs and lost to Georgia Southern in the first round.

2000 McNeese State Cowboys football
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 17–42 vs. Georgia Southern
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 16
Record	8–4 (5–2 Southland)
Head coach	Tommy Tate (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Matt Viator (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Scott Stoker (1st season)
Home stadium	Cowboy Stadium
Seasons ← 1999 2001 →

2000 Southland Football League standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 9 Troy State $^		7	–	0					10	–	2
No. 16 McNeese State ^		5	–	2					8	–	4
No. 25 Southwest Texas State		5	–	2					7	–	4
Sam Houston State		4	–	3					7	–	4
Stephen F. Austin		3	–	4					6	–	5
Jacksonville State		2	–	5					4	–	6
Northwestern State		1	–	6					4	–	7
Nicholls State		1	–	6					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Northwestern State forfeited conference wins over Troy State and Nicholls State. Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	at No. 5 (I-A) Miami (FL)*		Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL	L 14–61	48,111	[1]
September 9	vs. Prairie View A&M*		Reliant Astrodome Houston, TX	W 41–0	3,105[2]	[3]
September 16	Southwest Missouri State*		Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 26–19 2OT	14,460	[4]
September 23	at Alcorn State*		Jack Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS	W 41–12	3,500[5]	[6]
October 7	No. 14 Stephen F. Austin		Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 40–14	17,000	[7]
October 14	Jacksonville State	No. 22	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 28–0	15,021	[8]
October 21	at No. 9 Northwestern State	No. 17	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (rivalry)	L 34–37	14,586	[9]
October 28	at Sam Houston State	No. 21	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 31–17	10,017	[10]
November 4	Southwest Texas State	No. 17	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 18–3	11,606[11]	[12]
November 11	at No. 3 Troy State	No. 16	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	L 16–20	15,715	[13]
November 18	Nicholls State	No. 17	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 12–7	5,000	[14]
November 25	at No. 5 Georgia Southern*	No. 16	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 17–42	5,350	[15]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "Runaway rout for UM". South Florida Sun Sentinel. September 1, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "McNeese St. 41, Prairie View 0". The Anniston Star. September 10, 2000. p. 18. Retrieved January 14, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
3. "McNeese State 41, Prairie View 0". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. September 10, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "McNeese leaves SMS frustrated". The Springfield News-Leader. September 17, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Alcorn State Athletics Department (November 16, 2000). "2000 Alcorn State University Football". Archived from the original on March 6, 2001. Retrieved January 14, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
6. "Cowboys lasso Braves 41–12 with Nagle's arm". The Clarion-Ledger. September 24, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "McNeese State rules Lumberjacks from opening whistle, 40–14". Longview News-Journal. October 8, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "McNeese shuts out Gamecocks". Daily World. October 15, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Mistakes cause MSU Cowboys 'devil' of a time". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. October 22, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Cowboys drop Sam Houston". Daily World. October 29, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "McNeese State 18, Southwest Texas 3". Austin American-Statesman. November 5, 2000. p. 54. Retrieved January 14, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
12. "McNeese State 18, SW Texas 3". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 5, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Trojans clinch share of SFL title". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 12, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "McNeese St. 12, Nicholls St. 7". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 19, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Eagles turn it up, turn away Cowboys". The Atlanta Constitution. November 26, 2000. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.