Viator becomes McNeese’s winningest coach in record win

Ramond Stewart/McNeese Athletics

LAKE CHARLES – Matt Viator’s return as McNeese’s head coach couldn’t have gone any better as the Cowboys opened the 2025 football season in record fashion with a 54-9 win over Louisiana Christian.

With the victory, Viator picked up his 79th win as the Cowboys’ coach and became the winningest coach in school history. In addition, McNeese’s offense racked up a school record 664 total offensive yards, bettering the previous record of 644 set against Sam Houston State in the 2004 season.

Quarterback Jake Strong set another record by becoming the first Cowboy to throw more than 300 yards in making his debut after he completed 22 of 28 passes for 329 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Notes:

• McNeese’s 54 points scored marks the first time to hit 50 since scoring 51 against HCU early in the 2018 season.

• The Cowboys rolled up 305 yards with true freshman Marquez Davis leading the way with 97 yards on 12 carries, all coming in the second half. Tre’Vonte Citizen added 73 yards, Coleby Hamm 69 and Bryce Strong with 39. All four each scored a touchdown.

• 359 passing yards are the most since throwing for 361 against West Florida to open the 2021 season.

McNeese’s DWA led the Wildcats to just 19 yards rushing and 141 total offensive yards.

• A total of 10 players caught at least one pass in the game.

• Viator is now 10-0 as McNeese’s head coach in season openers.

• In addition to increasing his McNeese career win total to 79, he now has won 98 games in his career.

• McNeese is 1-0 to start the season since the 2021 spring season.

• A total of 30 players made their McNeese debut.

• McNeese’s last three scoring drives went for 96, 84 and 86 yards.

How it Happened:

First Quarter

• 12:30 – LC | Louisiana Christian opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal by Levi Hilborn to cap a 6-play, 17-yard drive (3-0, LCU).

• 5:00 – McN | The Cowboys got their first points of the season when Jake Strong found Bryce Strong for a 7-yard touchdown. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 75 yards (7-3, McNeese).

Second Quarter

• 14:00 – McN | Fabrizio Pinton split the uprights for the first field goal of the season from 38 yards out. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 63 yards (10-3, McNeese).

• 9:07 – McN | Coleby Hamm scored the first rushing TD of the season on a 5-yard burst up the middle to cap a 9-play, 68-yard drive (17-3, McNeese).

• 7:12 LC | Bryce Perkins scored the only TD of the game for the Wildcats from 4-yards out. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 49 yards (17-9, McNeese).

• 4:45 McN | Tre’Vonte Citizen scored his first TD on the season to begin a stretch of 37 straight points scored on a 21-yard jaunt, ending a 5-play, 57-yard drive (24-9, McNeese).

• 3:09 McN | Jonathan Harris scored on a 15-yard pass from Strong after the Cowboys obtained the ball on a Shoes Brinkley interception. Scoring drive: 3-plays, 47-yards (31-9, McNeese)

• 00:14 McN | After the Cowboys forced the Wildcats to punt, Strong made one of his best passes of the night to a diving Jessie Campbell for an 11-yard score as he drove the team 96 yards in 1:19. Scoring drive: 6-plays, 96-yards (38-9, McNeese).

Third Quarter

• 2:58 McN | Bryce Strong scored his second TD on the night and first on the ground from 5-yards out. Scoring drive 9 plays, 84 yards (45-9, McNeese).

Fourth Quarter

• 7:54 McN | True freshman Marquez Davis scored his first collegiate TD on a 12-yard run, ending a 10-play, 86-yard drive (52-9, McNeese).

• 7:02 McN | The Cowboys got a safety after a bad snap on a punt was fielded in the end zone and the punter stepped out for the safety (54-9, McNeese).