Money Game for Cowboys

By Jim Gazzolo

For the second time in three weeks, McNeese will play what is called a money game.

That’s when a lower division program takes on a higher one and gets paid for doing so.

Cowboy head coach Matt Viator understands the importance of such games, but is not a big fan of playing two of them in one season.

Next year, for example, the Cowboys will play just one when they travel to LSU for a game against the Tigers in Baton Rouge. For that, McNeese will receive approximately a million dollars. 

Saturday, the Cowboys travel to Logan, Utah, for a game against Utah State. Their first game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team came two weeks ago when they went and played Louisiana-Lafayette, falling 34-10.

The two FBS games will give McNeese around $700,000.

Some teams in the Southland play two games against Power 4 schools to make their budget. It all depends on the program.

Players love these games.

“You always want to play against the best,” said McNeese cornerback Mason Edwards, who played a year at Utah State himself. “I know a lot of those guys; they are friends.”

Not on Saturday. 

Viator is the same way. 

“As a competitor, you want to play the best competition you can,” Viator said. “This will be a huge test for us. They are a very good program.”

McNeese has had a knack for knocking off such schools under Viator. The Cowboys are 3-4 in such games. They are 0-4 against Power 4 teams, however.

“These games are a big test for us,” said tight end Logan Mauldin, who played at Coastal Carolina on the FBS level before transferring to McNeese. “There are a lot of guys on our roster who could play at that level.”

The biggest difference is usually depth. Bigger programs can go deeper with size and talent, especially on the offensive and defensive lines.

“I don’t know if we have any secrets,” Viator said. “I always get excited to go and play in those games. If you are worth your salt as a competitor, you want to play against the best.

“We are proud to go into those types of venues and play well.”

Utah State comes into the game 2-1, already 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference. McNeese is 1-2, having lost last week to Weber State 42-41 when the Cowboys went for two after scoring a touchdown with 42 seconds remaining. 

The Cowboys have made an impression on the Utah State coaching staff. Aggie head coach Bronco Mendenhall commented on how athletic the Cowboys look on tape.

“They have good players in skilled positions and are really well coached,” Mendenhall said. “They are a quality opponent.”

McNeese hopes their trip to Utah earns them more than a few dollars.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which airs weekly on CBS-Lake Charles.