2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2002
| team = McNeese State Cowboys
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southland Football League
| short_conf = Southland
| TSNRank = 2
| record = 13–2
| conf_record = 6–0
| head_coach = Tommy Tate
| hc_year = 3rd
| off_coach = Matt Viator
| oc_year = 3rd
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Lance Guidry
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| champion = Southland champion
| bowl = NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game
| bowl_result = L 14–34 vs. Western Kentucky
}}
{{2002 Southland Football League standings}}
The 2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Football League during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Tommy Tate, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 13–2 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Southland title. McNeese State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, beating Montana State in the first round, Montana in the quarterfinals, and Villanova in the semifinals, before losing to Western Kentucky in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2002
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA
| poll = The Sports Network
| timezone = Central
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = August 31
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 11
| opponent = Grambling State
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| score = 52–20
| attend = 20,300
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121374818/cowboys-give-gsu-a-rough-ride/|work=The News-Star|title=Cowboys give GSU a rough ride|date=September 1, 2002|accessdate=March 21, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 7
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 6
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Youngstown State Penguins|title=Youngstown State}}
| opprank = 8
| site_stadium = Stambaugh Stadium
| site_cityst = Youngstown, OH
| score = 28–13
| attend = 17,829
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 14
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 3
| opponent = Louisiana–Monroe
| site_stadium = Malone Stadium
| site_cityst = Monroe, LA
| score = 24–19
| attend = 10,091
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 28
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Western Kentucky
| opprakn = 25
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| score = 38–13
| attend = 16,840
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Nebraska
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lincoln, NE
| score = 14–38
| attend = 77,192
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| w/l = w
| rank = 2
| opponent = Jacksonville State
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| score = 28–20
| attend = 15,600
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Sam Houston State
| site_stadium = Bowers Stadium
| site_cityst = Huntsville, TX
| score = 47–10
| attend = 6,110
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114825203/mcneese-47-shs-10/|work=Daily World|title=McNeese 47, SHS 10|date=October 27, 2002|accessdate=December 18, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| w/l = w
| rank = 2
| opponent = Stephen F. Austin
| site_stadium = Homer Bryce Stadium
| site_cityst = Nacogdoches, TX
| score = 42–13
| attend = 8,437
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| w/l = w
| rank = 2
| opponent = Southwest Texas State
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| score = 47–7
| attend = 15,200
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97843321/mcneese-states-king-runs-for-two-tds-in/|work=Austin American-Statesman|title=McNeese State's King runs for two TDs in blowout of Southwest Texas|date=November 10, 2002|accessdate=March 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Northwestern State
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Harry Turpin Stadium
| site_cityst = Natchitoches, LA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 27–3
| attend = 17,031
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 23
| w/l = w
| rank = 1
| opponent = Nicholls State
| opprank = 17
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| score = 33–21
| attend = 8,221
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 30
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 1
| opponent = Montana State
| opprank = 24
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| score = 21–14
| attend = 16,211
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 7
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 1
| opponent = Montana
| opprank = 9
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal
| score = 24–20
| attend = 15,758
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 14
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 1
| opponent = Villanova
| opprank = 12
| site_stadium = Cowboy Stadium
| site_cityst = Lake Charles, LA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
| score = 39–28
| attend = 16,517
| source = {{cite news|title=Villaova tumbles in I-AA seminfinals|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=December 15, 2002|pages=D1, D4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40566948/villaova_tumbles_in_iaa_seminfinals/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 20
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| rank = 1
| opponent = Western Kentucky
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Finley Stadium
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, TN
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game
| score = 14–34
| attend = 12,360
}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{McNeese Cowboys football navbox}}
{{Southland Conference football champions}}
Category:McNeese Cowboys football seasons