Central Arkansas, McNeese State Meet in Toyota Game of the Week on Southland TV Network
Affiliate Change in Houston for Saturday
FRISCO, Texas - No. 8/8 McNeese State will play host to Central Arkansas Saturday in the Toyota Game of the Week on the Southland Conference Television Network. Coverage begins at 6 p.m., CST, and kickoff will be five minutes later.
A McNeese State win would give the Cowboys their 13th Southland Conference championship if Stephen F. Austin loses to Northwestern State that afternoon in Natchitoches, La. If Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State both win, they share the Southland championship, though the Lumberjacks would be the league's automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division I playoffs since they beat McNeese 16-13 Oct. 10.
The Cowboys improved to 8-2 overall and are 5-1 in conference play after extending their win streak to five games with a 30-27 victory at Texas State last Saturday. Central Arkansas, which finished with the league's best record last season, is 5-5 this season and 2-4 in league play. The Bears' five losses have been by five points or less and by an average of 3.6 points.
McNeese State is second among Football Championship Subdivision teams in scoring with an average of 38.6 points per game. The Cowboys also rank fourth in total offense, averaging 462.3 yards per game, and fifth in both rushing (229.3) and passing efficiency (155.45). Tailback Toddrick Pendland has turned in the conference's top rushing performances each of the last two weeks, going for 171 against Sam Houston State and 187 last week at Texas State. He has scored seven touchdowns in the two games and leads the nation in scoring with 12.44 points per game. Quarterback Derrick Fourroux has completed 172-of-267 passes for 2,224 yards and 20 touchdowns and has the 11th best passing efficiency rating (154.61) in the FCS. He also is averaging 278.1 yards of total offense to rank ninth.
Central Arkansas has lost three consecutive games after dropping a 17-14 decision at Sam Houston State last Saturday. The Bears are averaging 28.2 points and 393.2 yards per game this season It has the conference's best scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 16.7 points per game, and the best rushing defense, holding opponents to 100.8 yards per game. The Bears are also the conference's top team in kickoff returns, averaging 21.9 yards per return. Running back Brent Grimes needs 96 yards to reach 1,000 yards this season. He has 146 carries for 904 yards and 15 touchdowns. Quarterback Robbie Park has completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,028 yards and 12 scores. James Lovett is the top receiver with 35 receptions for 431 yards and three touchdowns.
This will be just the fourth meeting between the Bears and Cowboys, who lead the series 2-1. Central Arkansas won 47-30 last year in Conway, but McNeese has won both meetings in Lake Charles, including a 41-14 decision in 2007, the last time the Bears visited.
The Southland Conference Television Network is now in its second season. The 2009-10 slate includes 11 football games, 16 men's and women's basketball games and championship games of the soccer, volleyball, softball and baseball conference tournaments. Doug Anderson will handle play-by-play duties, while LaDarrin McLane will serve as the color analyst. Chris Mycoskie joins them this week as the sideline reporter.
The network will also televised the Nicholls at Southeastern Louisiana game Thursday at 6 p.m. and the championship match of the 2009 Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament Sunday at 2 p.m.
Currently, there are 10 affiliates in the three-state network, including KARZ-TV in Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Conway, Ark.; WBTR-TV in Baton Rouge, La.; WSTY-TV in Hammond, La.; KPXJ-TV in Shreveport, La. and Texarkana, Texas; KUIL-TV in Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas; MyTX 18 in Tyler, Longview, Nacogdoches and Lufkin; KTBU-TV in Houston, Baytown and Sugar Land, Texas; Suddenlink Communications in Lake Charles, La.; Time Warner Cable in Arlington, Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Edinburg, Harlingen, Killeen, Plano, San Antonio, San Marcos, Temple and Waco, Texas; and Grande Communications on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos, Texas.
Fox College Sports will also broadcast the games on a tape-delayed basis each week. Saturday's game between Central Arkansas and McNeese State will be rebroadcast on Fox College Sports Central Sunday at 4:30 p.m., CST.
All Southland TV games will be streamed live to SLC NOW, the conference's live and on-demand video and audio channel on Southland.org. All SLC NOW programming is free to anyone who registers on the site.
For more information about Southland TV and SLC NOW, please visit the conference Web site, Southland.org.
Where to watch the game this week:
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ARKANSAS
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Location
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Station
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Channel
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Little Rock
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KARZ
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42 & Comcast Cable Ch. 9
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Conway
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KARZ
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42 & Conway Corp. Cable Ch. 9
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Texarkana
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KPXJ
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21
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LOUISIANA
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Location
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Station
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Channel
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Baton Rouge
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WBTR
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41
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Hammond
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WSTY TV
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23 & Charter Cable Ch. 22
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Lake Charles
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Suddenlink Cable
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14
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Natchitoches
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KPXJ
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Suddenlink Cable 16
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Shreveport
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KPXJ
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21
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TEXAS
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Location
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Station
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Channel
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Arlington
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Time Warner Cable
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185 & Video On Demand
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Austin
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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Beaumont-Port Arthur
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KUIL/The U
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Time Warner Cable Ch. 15
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Brownsville
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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Corpus Christi
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Time Warner Cable
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100
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Dallas
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Time Warner Cable
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185 & Video On Demand
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Edinburg
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Time Warner Cable
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888
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Harlingen
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Time Warner Cable
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888
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Houston
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KNWS
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51
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Killeen
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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Longview
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MyTX 18
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WEHCO Cable 10
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Lufkin
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MyTX 18
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Suddenlink Cable 6
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McAllen
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Time Warner Cable
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888
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Nacogdoches
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MyTX 18
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Suddenlink Cable 8
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Plano
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Time Warner Cable
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185 & Video On Demand
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San Antonio
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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San Marcos
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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Temple
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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Texas State Campus
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Grande Cable
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17
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Texarkana
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KPXJ
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21
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Tyler
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MyTX 18
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Suddenlink Cable 2
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Waco
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Time Warner Cable
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888 & Video On Demand
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NATIONAL
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Fox College Sports Central (Delay); Sunday, Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m., CST.
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