LAKE CHARLES, La. – Back in August, there weren’t a lot of people who regarded the University of Maine as a playoff-caliber football team.

Three-plus months later, with 12 freshmen and sophomores occupying starting positions and 17 other underclassmen listed on the two-deep chart, the Black Bears find themselves among the final 16 teams in the country.

Tonight, 16th-ranked UMaine makes the program’s first NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearance in 12 years when it battles No. 10 McNeese State.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at 17,410-seat Cowboy Stadium, where the 8-2 Bears and the 8-3 Cowboys meet for the second time in three seasons.

UMaine is 0-3 all-time in postseason play, which includes the 1964 Tangerine Bowl and I-AA games in 1987 and ’89. McNeese is making its ninth appearance overall and its fourth in five seasons. The Cowboys haven’t won since ’97.

After departing Bangor two hours late Friday because of a delayed American Airlines charter plane, the Bears took a few minutes to walk around on the soggy grass at Cowboy Stadium before going through a brief practice nearby. UMaine soaked up the mid-afternoon sun and tested the footing as the players got a feel for the place.

Junior quarterback Jake Eaton said he had a good feeling about UMaine’s readiness, both mentally and physically.

“I just want to play,” Eaton said. “The guys seem loose right now. It doesn’t surprise me, though. That’s the way we’ve been the last couple weeks. The young kids are always loose, though, they don’t know any better.”

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s UMaine team doesn’t appear awed by the situation. This team has a businesslike approach that belies its relative inexperience.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said senior linebacker Malik Nichols. “We’ve got to take it game by game. We can’t look too far ahead of ourselves because once you do that, the next thing you know, the playoffs flash before your face and it’s over. I think everybody’s got the picture of what we have to do.”

The coaching staff made sure the Bears developed the proper mindset about the playoffs, even before they knew for sure they were in the field. UMaine associate head coach Bob Wilder was a senior captain on the 1987 playoff team that lost to Georgia Southern. He knows all too well how important attitude is in the postseason.

“We were just happy to be there,” said Wilder, who remembered how UMaine built a 28-10 halftime lead only to let it slip away.

“We came out in the second half and said, ‘boy, if we can just hold on for 30 minutes,’ ” Wilder said. “We learned a great lesson from that.”

The lesson is: The Bears are in it to win it – all of it. While this UMaine team hasn’t overlooked any opponent, Cosgrove has made sure the Bears know how close they are to greatness.

“We’re [here] to win the football game and then meet the challenges that come after that,” Cosgrove said. “We’ve already had a discussion about this being a pursuit of a national championship and I think we’ve had pretty darned good practice at that the last few weeks; the concept of having our eyes on an immediate target but with a long-range goal.”

The Cowboys, co-champions of the Southland Football Conference, received their league’s automatic bid for the tournament. McNeese also has the benefit of playing on its home field in front of what promises to be a loud partisan crowd.

“We have great fan support. Saturday’s a big social event over here at McNeese,” said Cowboys coach Tommy Tate. “Tailgating starts here, sometimes, on Thursdays. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to host a playoff game.”

McNeese plays on a natural grass field that was inundated by heavy rain earlier in the week. The Cowboys rank 16th in the country in I-AA attendance, averaging 14,280 fans.

Cosgrove spoke with Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple about the atmosphere here. The Minutemen beat the Cowboys there in 1998, in the first round, on their way to the national championship.

“His first comment was, it’s not for the faint of heart – and don’t bring your wives,” Cosgrove quipped. “I think that’s something that’s going to motivate us. There’s not going to be a lot of Maine fans [down here].”

Tonight’s target is a defense-minded McNeese State team that ranks third in the nation in total defense, giving up less than 254 total yards per game. It also is 15th in scoring defense (17.5 ppg).

Defensively, Eaton compared McNeese to Northeastern and Richmond.

“I don’t think they’re as good up front as those teams, but their secondary definitely is,” Eaton said. “They’ve got a good linebacking corps. I think it will be important to get Royston [English] and the O-line going early.”

UMaine hopes to set the tone with the run game, with English (1,157 yards, 8 touchdowns) leading the way. He has put together four consecutive games during which he has rushed for more than 100 yards.

English is complemented by fullback John Gelsomino and backup tailback Marcus Williams.

If the Bears can move the ball on the ground, Eaton will be even more effective passing. He has thrown for 2,198 yards on 58 percent accuracy with 19 TDs and only seven interceptions.

UMaine has three main receiving threats in wideouts Stefan Gomes (60 catches, 787 yds., 9 TDs) and Paris Minor (52-754-3), along with dangerous tight end Chad Hayes of Old Town, who has caught 28 passes for 382 yards and seven scores.

Eaton said the Cowboys will be aggressive and try to put pressure on him when he drops back to pass.

“Hopefully, it will give us an opportunity to make some big plays,” Eaton said.

McNeese, which runs a 4-2-5 scheme, has some exceptional defensive players, including safeties Hadley Prince (98 tackles), Arthur Goodly (95) and Joe Judge (87), each of whom has three interceptions, and linebacker Brad Archie (85 hits).

The Cowboys have been an opportunistic, big-play defense. McNeese has held six opponents to 82 or less rushing yards while scoring five defensive touchdowns. The Cowboys have blocked seven kicks this season.

UMaine goes into tonight’s contest riding a wave of confidence. The Bears, who have won 11 of their last 14 games dating back to last season, are riding a three-game winning streak.

The Bears’ formula for success has been relatively simple: Stingy defense, balanced offense, steady special teams.

On defense, UMaine faces a McNeese team that prefers to run the ball. The Cowboys have a deep stable of running backs, led by tailbacks Vick King (592 yards) and Aaron Pierce (641 yds.), along with fullback Luke Lawton (291 yds., 7 TDs).

Slade Nagle has been somewhat inconsistent, having passed for 1,193 yards and 12 TDs, along with 12 interceptions. Leading receivers include Jermaine Martin (41 receptions, 674 yds.), Britt Brodhead (26-303) and B.J. Sams (25-460).

UMaine’s focus is always to stop the run. Junior linebacker and co-Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Stephen Cooper and junior free safety Dave Cusano head up the unit, which has allowed 321 yards and 20.3 points per outing.

Cooper checks in with 95 tackles and two interceptions, while Cusano has made 62. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (55 tackles), end Brendan Curry (42 tackles, 8 sacks) and corner Devon Goree (40 hits) are the other mainstays.

The Bears have been consistent in their special-teams play, which features A-10 first-team returner Lennard Byrd, placekicker Chris DeVinney of South Portland and punter Mike Mellow.

UMaine plans to take advantage of its opportunity.

“That feeling that you have to win or you’re going home and there’s no more football this season is a big factor in motivating us,” said senior cornerback Byrd. “We’ll be prepared and ready to play.”