2000 Northwestern State Demons football team

The 2000 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Steve Roberts, the Demons compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, tying in fifth place in the Southland.^[1] Northwestern State played home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

2000 Northwestern State Demons football
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	4–7, 2 wins forfeited (1–6 Southland, 2 wins forfeited)
Head coach	Steve Roberts (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Doug Ruse (4th as OC, 7th overall season)
Co-defensive coordinators	Kevin Coreless (2nd as DC, 5th overall season) Jack Curtis (2nd as DC, 7th overall season)
Home stadium	Harry Turpin Stadium
Seasons ← 1999 2001 →

2000 Southland Football League standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 9 Troy State $^		7	–	0					10	–	2
No. 16 McNeese State ^		5	–	2					8	–	4
No. 25 Southwest Texas State		5	–	2					7	–	4
Sam Houston State		4	–	3					7	–	4
Stephen F. Austin		3	–	4					6	–	5
Jacksonville State		2	–	5					4	–	6
Northwestern State		1	–	6					4	–	7
Nicholls State		1	–	6					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Northwestern State forfeited conference wins over Troy State and Nicholls State. Rankings from The Sports Network poll

In the spring of 2001, Northwestern State forfeited two wins from the 2000 season, over Troy State and Nicholls State, because an ineligible player had participated for the Demons in those games. With the forfeit, the Demons' record dropped to 4–7 overall and 1–6 in conference play, tying in last place in the Southland.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2		Southern*		Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	W 31–20	17,528	[3]
September 9	5:00 pm	at UCF*		Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL	L 7–19	19,003	[4]
September 23		at Louisiana–Lafayette*		Cajun Field Lafayette, LA	W 23–21	15,212	[5]
September 30	6:00 pm	Gardner–Webb*		Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	W 57–17	11,288[6]	[7]
October 7	6:00 pm	No. 5 Troy State	No. 10	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	L 24–17 (forfeited)	12,261	[8]
October 14		at Nicholls State	No. 10	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA (rivalry)	L 27–21 (forfeited)		[9]
October 21		No. 17 McNeese State	No. 9	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (rivalry)	W 37–34	14,586	[10]
October 28		at Southwest Texas State		Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	L 10–21	10,503[11]	[12]
November 4	4:00 pm	at Jacksonville State	No. 10	Paul Snow Stadium Jacksonville, AL	L 24–28	15,500	[13]
November 11		Sam Houston State	No. 18	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA	L 13–27	5,036	[14]
November 18	2:00 pm	at Stephen F. Austin		Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX (rivalry)	L 3–17	2,317[15]	[16]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

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