1998 Northwestern State Demons football team

The 1998 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 16th-year head coach Sam Goodwin, the Demons compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the Southland title. Northwestern State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Demons beat Illinois State in the first round and Appalachian State in the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national champion, UMass in the semifinals. The team played home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

1998 Northwestern State Demons football
Southland champion
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 3
Record11–3 (6–1 Southland)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorBradley Dale Peveto (3rd season)
Home stadiumHarry Turpin Stadium
Seasons
← 1997
1999 →
1998 Southland Football League standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 3 Northwestern State $^   6 1     11 3  
No. 8 McNeese State ^   5 2     9 3  
No. 13 Troy State ^   5 2     8 4  
Jacksonville State   4 3     7 4  
Nicholls State   3 4     4 7  
Southwest Texas State   2 5     4 7  
Stephen F. Austin   2 5     3 8  
Sam Houston State   1 6     3 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5No. 12 Southern*No. 16W 28–716,706[1][2]
September 12at Southwestern Louisiana*No. 14W 24–22[3][4]
September 19Henderson State*No. 10
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA
W 53–7[5]
September 26at Southwest Texas StateNo. 8W 34–10[6]
October 31:00 p.m.at No. 25 (I-A) Missouri*No. 7L 14–3548,298[7][8]
October 15No. 1 McNeese StateNo. 8
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA (rivalry)
W 14–1014,247[9]
October 24at Nicholls StateNo. 4W 28–26[10]
October 31No. 15 Troy StateNo. 4
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA
L 13–1410,362[11]
November 72:00 p.m.No. 22 Jacksonville StateNo. 9
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA
W 53–3612,779[12]
November 14Sam Houston StateNo. 7
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA
W 59–35,117[13]
November 21at Stephen F. AustinNo. 5W 35–21[14]
November 28No. 21 Illinois State*No. 2
W 48–288,118[15]
December 5No. 7 Appalachian State*No. 2
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)
W 31–2010,817[16]
December 12No. 12 UMass*No. 2
  • Harry Turpin Stadium
  • Natchitoches, LA (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)
L 31–4110,424[17][18]

[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Sweet revenge; Demon defense keys 28–7 win over Jaguars". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. September 6, 1998. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "The Town Talk 06 Sep 1998, page Page 13".
  3. ^ "The Town Talk 13 Sep 1998, page Page 16".
  4. ^ "Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football History vs Northwestern State University".
  5. ^ "The Town Talk 20 Sep 1998, page Page 15".
  6. ^ "Demons give Goodwin 100th win". The Shreveport Times. September 27, 1998. Retrieved March 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "The Town Talk 04 Oct 1998, page Page 14".
  8. ^ "Football History vs Northwestern State University".
  9. ^ "Cowboys 'swarmed' under". The Shreveport Times. October 16, 1998. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "The Town Talk 25 Oct 1998, page Page 14".
  11. ^ "The Town Talk 01 Nov 1998, page Page 14".
  12. ^ "The Times 08 Nov 1998, page Page 45".
  13. ^ "Roadkill, Demons slaughter Bearkats, 59–3". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 15, 1998. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "The Town Talk 22 Nov 1998, page Page 16".
  15. ^ Dubois, Carl (November 29, 1998). "NSU Bombs Way Past Illinois State". The Times. p. 1D. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Big plays keep NSU rolling on". The Shreveport Times. December 6, 1998. Retrieved November 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "The Town Talk 06 Dec 1998, page Page 16".
  18. ^ "Football vs Northwestern State on 12/12/1998 - Box Score".
  19. ^ "1998 Demon Football Schedule".