McNeese to host N.H. in first round of FCS playoffs

• Advocate news services
• Published: Nov 22, 2009

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McNeese State will take part in its 14th Football Championship Subdivision playoffs when the Cowboys host New Hampshire at 2 p.m. Saturday in Cowboy Stadium.

Crowned the Southland Conference co-champions Saturday, McNeese has appeared in six of the last nine FCS playoffs.

The Cowboys’ last appearance came in 2007, when they dropped a first-round game 44-15 to Eastern Washington at Cowboy Stadium.

“We’re really excited about being in the playoffs,” McNeese coach Matt Viator said in a news release. “It’s great to be in and playing a first-round game at home.

“I can’t say enough about our players and what they have done this season. We have won games a lot of different ways this year.”

The Cowboys (9-2) have won their last six games.

Four times McNeese has come from behind in the final minutes of play to win. They beat Central Arkansas by a 21-17 score Saturday, holding back late drives by the Bears.

One of the Cowboys’ victories this season is a 40-35 road decision over Appalachian State, one of two McNeese 2009 opponents also in this year’s field. The other is co-SLC champion Stephen F. Austin, which defeated McNeese 16-13.

McNeese has an 11-12 playoff record and went to the championship game in 2002 and 1996.

The Cowboys are led on offense by record-setting quarterback Derrick Fourroux and tailback Toddrick Pendland, the nation’s No. 1-ranked scorer, and on defense key players are linebacker Matt Kreamer, tackle Desmund Lighten and safeties Malcolm Bronson and Darrell Jenkins.

New Hampshire (9-2), of the Continental Athletic Association, has been in the playoffs for the past six years in a row.