CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1979 McNeese

11–⁠1 (5–⁠0 Southland Conference), coached by Ernie Duplechin.

Schedule and results

McNeese in 1979, game by game: won at Tulsa 6–3; won vs. SE Louisiana 10–3; won vs. West Texas 21–0; won vs. UL Monroe 12–10; won at Texas–Arlington 14–13; won at Lamar 34–25; won vs. Arkansas State 10–7; won at Chattanooga 24–17; won vs. Northwestern State 44–13; won vs. Louisiana Tech 41–7; won at Louisiana 10–6; lost vs. Syracuse 7–31+34−24Won 6–3 at Tulsa+3TulsaWon 10–3 vs. SE Louisiana+7SE LouisianaWon 21–0 vs. West Texas+21West TexasWon 12–10 vs. UL Monroe+2UL MonroeWon 14–13 at Texas–Arlington+1Texas–ArlingtonWon 34–25 at Lamar+9LamarWon 10–7 vs. Arkansas State+3Arkansas StateWon 24–17 at Chattanooga+7ChattanoogaWon 44–13 vs. Northwestern State+31Northwestern St…Won 41–7 vs. Louisiana Tech+34Louisiana TechWon 10–6 at Louisiana+4LouisianaLost 7–31 vs. Syracuse-24Syracuse
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 1atTulsaW 6–⁠338%
Sep 8vsSE LouisianaW 10–⁠390%
Sep 15vsWest TexasW 21–⁠069%
Sep 22vsUL MonroeW 12–⁠1071%
Oct 6atTexas–ArlingtonW 14–⁠1346%
Oct 13atLamarW 34–⁠2562%
Oct 20vsArkansas StateW 10–⁠762%
Oct 27atChattanoogaW 24–⁠1750%
Nov 3vsNorthwestern StateW 44–⁠1391%
Nov 10vsLouisiana TechW 41–⁠784%
Nov 17atLouisianaW 10–⁠674%
Dec 15Bowls & playoffvsSyracuseIndependence BowlL 7–⁠3165%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Syracuse 31–⁠7 in the Independence Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; Southland Conference champions.

In program history: The 3rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 47 on file).

Southland Conference champions5–⁠0 in the conference

Record
11–⁠1
Conference
5–⁠0 first in Southland Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
233–⁠135
Coach
Ernie Duplechin
Elo
1570 +81 this season
SP+ rating
11.9 No. 34 of 135; offense No. 70, defense No. 13
SRS
4.1 No. 53 of 140 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Hubert Boales

Drafted in 1980

The 1980 draft
Rd 5Bryan Hicks DBCincinnati Bengals

1979 Southland Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
McNeese5–⁠011–⁠1
Texas–Arlington4–⁠19–⁠2
Lamar3–⁠26–⁠3–⁠2
Arkansas State1–⁠44–⁠7
Louisiana1–⁠44–⁠7
Louisiana Tech1–⁠42–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.