FORT WORTH - Texas Wesleyan University will look to bounce back from its season-opening loss when the Rams travel to Louisiana to face McNeese State University at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Navarre Stadium.
Texas Wesleyan enters the match-up Following a 59-7 loss to Central Oklahoma on Aug. 27 at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium. The Rams will face another NCAA Division I opponent Saturday as they continue a challenging opening stretch to the 2026 season.
Despite the final score against Central Oklahoma, Texas Wesleyan found success running the football. The Rams finished with 154 rushing yards on 37 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Junior Ian Jernagin led the way with 90 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while Maurice Griffin added 53 yards on 13 attempts.
Jernagin scored the Rams' lone touchdown early in the third quarter after Texas Wesleyan's defense forced a turnover and gave the offense possession at the Central Oklahoma 16-yard line.
The Rams will look for greater production through the air after totaling 108 passing yards in the opener. Charlie Adamoli completed 8 of 22 attempts for 75 yards, while Cole Francis completed 5 of 12 passes for 33 yards.
Defensively, Jace Hill-Douglas led Texas Wesleyan with eight tackles, while Jemari Seals and Evenn Head each recorded seven. Ryan Seymour added a sack and forced a fumble, while the Rams recovered two Central Oklahoma fumbles.
McNeese State enters Saturday's contest at 0-1 after opening its season with a 38-27 loss to 13th-ranked Stephen F. Austin at Navarre Stadium on Aug. 29. The Lumberjacks entered the season as the defending Southland Conference champions.
The Cowboys are led by head coach Matt Viator, who returned to McNeese in 2025 after a 10-year absence. Viator is the school's all-time winningest coach. McNeese finished 5-7 overall and 4-4 in Southland Conference play last season, winning three of its final four games.
McNeese returns a substantial portion of its offensive production from a year ago, bringing back 71% of its total offensive yardage from the 2025 season. Quarterback Jake Strong is also the Cowboys' first returning starting quarterback since Cody Orgeron from 2019-21.
The Cowboys' defense could be the biggest challenge for the Rams. McNeese returns significant starting experience in a unit known as "Defense With Attitude." Five returning players — Jermaine Hargraves, Mason Edwards, Javon Davis, Emauri Sibley and Landon Barrett — were starters a year ago, with Sibley and Barrett at linebacker, Edwards and Davis at safety, and Hargraves at cornerback. McNeese defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro said the Cowboys have their deepest defensive unit across all three levels in his tenure.
Saturday's match-up is part of a demanding opening stretch for McNeese as well. The Cowboys opened against defending Southland champion Stephen F. Austin, host Texas Wesleyan on Sept. 5 and then welcome Tarleton State on Sept. 12 before beginning conference play.
For Texas Wesleyan, the challenge will be to establish the run against a veteran McNeese defense while finding consistency in the passing game. The Rams will also look to eliminate the turnovers and special-teams mistakes that hindered their opener.
Saturday's game will be McNeese's annual White Out game at Navarre Stadium. The contest is scheduled for a 6 p.m. kickoff and will be streamed on ESPN+.
