2021 Northwestern State Demons football team
The 2021 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Demons played their home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and competed in the Southland Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Brad Laird.
2021 Northwestern State Demons football | |
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Conference | Southland Conference |
2021 record | 3–8 (3–5 Southland) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Brad Smiley (4th season) |
Defensive coordinator | Mike Lucas (5th season) |
Home stadium | Harry Turpin Stadium (Capacity: 15,971) |
2021 Southland Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 12 Incarnate Word $^ | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicholls | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
McNeese State * | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern State | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Houston Baptist | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Previous season
The Demons finished the 2020–21 season with 1–5 overall record and 1–5 in conference record to finish in the last place in SLC during the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Northwestern State decided to play during the scheduled FCS season in the spring, their schedule only consisted of FCS teams, including all teams who chose to play in the spring from the Southland.'
Preseason
Preseason poll
The Southland Conference released their preseason poll in July 2021. The Demons were picked to finish fifth in the conference.[1] In addition, nine Demons were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.[2]
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
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1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 48 (8) |
2 | Nicholls | 43 (4) |
3 | Incarnate Word | 32 |
4 | McNeese State | 26 |
5 | Northwestern State | 21 |
6 | Houston Baptist | 10 |
Preseason All–Southland Teams
Offense 1st Team
2nd Team
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Defense 1st Team
2nd Team
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Personnel
2021 Northwestern State Demons football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Roster |
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 4 | 6:30 p.m. | at North Texas* | ESPN3 | L 14–44 | 18,716 | |
September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | at Alcorn State* | L 10–13 | 0 | ||
September 18 | 6:00 p.m. | UT Martin* | ESPN+ | L 10–35 | 9,146 | |
October 2 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 24 Incarnate Word |
| ESPN+ | L 27–38 | 6,125 |
October 9 | 6:00 p.m. | at Houston Baptist | ESPN+ | W 21–17 | 1,987 | |
October 16 | 3:00 p.m. | McNeese State |
| CST | L 17–35 | 7,413 |
October 23 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 9 Southeastern Louisiana![]() |
| ESPN+ | L 14–51 | 6,523 |
October 30 | 12:00 p.m. | at Nicholls | CST | L 21-42 | 7,328 | |
November 6 | 3:00 p.m. | Houston Baptist |
| ESPN+ | W 28-24 | 3,621 |
November 13 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana | ESPN+ | L 28-56 | 4,137 | |
November 20 | 12:00 p.m. | at McNeese State | ESPN+ | W 24-20 | 8,412 | |
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Game summaries
at North Texas
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | North Texas |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
North Texas | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
at Alcorn State
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | Alcorn State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Alcorn State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
UT Martin
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | UT Martin | Northwestern State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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UT Martin | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
at No. 16 Southeastern Louisiana
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | Southeastern Louisiana |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
No. 24 Incarnate Word
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Incarnate Word | Northwestern State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Incarnate Word | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
at Houston Baptist
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | Houston Baptist |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Houston Baptist | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
McNeese State
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | McNeese State | Northwestern State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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McNeese State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
No. 9 Southeastern Louisiana
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | Northwestern State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
at Nicholls
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | Nicholls |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Nicholls | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
Houston Baptist
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Houston Baptist | Northwestern State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Houston Baptist | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
at McNeese State
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Pregame line | Over/under |
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Statistics | Northwestern State | McNeese State |
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First downs | ||
Total yards | ||
Rushing yards | ||
Passing yards | ||
Turnovers | ||
Time of possession | ||
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northwestern State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving | |||
McNeese State | Passing | ||
Rushing | |||
Receiving |
References
- "Southeastern Voted to Top Spot in 2021 Football Preseason Poll". www.southland.org. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- "Southland Announces 2021 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams". www.southland.org. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- "2021 Northwestern State Demons Football Schedule".
- "2021 Northwestern State Demons Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com.