After stopping Cameron Ward and upsetting No. 16 Incarnate Word Saturday, McNeese State was award a trip to Hammond for a date with No. 8 Southeastern.

Waiting for them this Saturday will be an even better quarterback, Walter Payton Award winner Cole Kelley.

At 6-foot 7, 260 pounds Kelley is not only the best quarterback in the Football Championship Subdivision but perhaps the biggest.

“He is hard to bring down,” McNeese All-American defensive end Isaiah Chambers said. “We will have to get after him.”

Chambers and crew did that last weekend, sacking Ward 10 times, intercepting three of his passings and forcing him to lose a fumble.

The 28-20 win over Incarnate Word was McNeese’s most dominate performance since the 2018 season.

For his work Chambers was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week. He now leads the league in sacks with 6.5.

“That was our best start since we got here,” said McNeese head coach Frank Wilson, who is in his second season. “Showed the style of football we could play against a quality opponent.”

UIW had become a stumbling block for McNeese, having won three straight against the Cowboys, all by lopsided scores.

“That is one monkey off our back that has been on it for some time,” said Wilson.

Now comes the league’s top team, Southeastern.

At 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the SLC, the Lions hold a game lead over Incarnate Word and two over the Cowboys (3-4, 2-2).

“We are excited to go there and play a true rival,” said Wilson. “I like the way we have been playing.”

Kelley, a transfer from Arkansas, will be waiting. He has thrown for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns this season. He had 391 yards and three scores against the Cowboys on Oct. 2 when the teams first met this year.

The Lions won that day 38-35, but McNeese found its game in the second half, rallying from a 24-7 halftime deficit. Since that first half, the Cowboys have gone 2-0 and outscored their opponents 91-51.

“We are playing with more confidence,” said Chambers.

McNeese did sack Kelley twice during that meeting in Lake Charles and picked him off once.

Cody Orgeron led the Cowboy attack with 246 yards passing and another 77 rushing. He had three touchdown passes, two to Mason Pierce who also scored on a run.

With four games remaining the Cowboys are still in the race for the conference title, though it will be tough. They will need help from somebody else to claim a share of the crown if they win out.

“The championship goes through Hammond,” said Wilson. “Just like we had to beat Incarnate Word, we now have to beat Southeastern.”

It won’t be easy but neither is coming up with 10 sacks, so maybe it is possible.