After their second bye week, the McNeese Cowboys traveled to Natchitoches to play the Northwestern State Demons in their second-to-last game. The Pokes picked up the pace in the second quarter and never looked back, defeating the Demons 35-3 to improve to 6-5 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The first quarter was less than stellar with five punts in five possessions. Both teams’ opening drives resulted in three-and-outs and 10 total yards.
Northwestern State went on an 11-play, 52-yard drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock. The Demons got to the Cowboys’ 44-yard line before Abram Johnston’s pass to Amaaz Eugene on third down fell incomplete. McNeese punted after crossing midfield as Finn Lappin kicked the ball inside the 10-yard line at the eight. NSU went backward and punted 39 yards from their endzone to the 42-yard line.
McNeese scored in seven plays. Running back Joshon Barbie got the first three carries for 12 yards. A holding penalty on the Demons set up 1st & 10 from the 15-yard line and Coleby Hamm touched the ball three times with the final carry going for a two-yard touchdown to put McNeese up 7-0 over three minutes into the second quarter.
Northwestern State responded with a score of their own. A roll-out pass over the top to running back Ray McKneely-Harris went for a 54-yard gain and 1st & GOAL from the McNeese seven-yard line. Cowboy start linebacker Micah Davey made the touchdown-saving tackle and injured himself on the play. Davey was later ruled out for the remainder of the game with a back injury. The Demons ended up settling for a 25-yard Reed Honshtein field goal.
Thomas Miles made one of the interceptions you’ll see as Johnston overthrew his receiver and hit the McNeese safety right in the chest. Cowboy quarterback Kamden Sixkiller returned the favor the next play with his pass being underthrown and picked off by Blake Gotcher.
NSU couldn’t make anything of the turnover and punted the ball back to McNeese. Cowboys coach Gary Goff put Alex Flores in at quarterback following Sixkiler’s interception. Flores led a 13-play, 91-yard drive right before the half. Flores’ first pass was completed to Jessie Campbell for a gain of 16, then Barbie broke loose. The play went for a 62-yard touchdown and was called back for a holding for a 39-yard pickup. Kameran Senegal’s 11-yard catch set up 1st & GOAL and Flores completed the pass on third down to Logan Mauldin for the two-yard score with 29 seconds to go in the second quarter.
McNeese went into the half up 14-3.
The Pokes went three-and-out to begin the second half but the Demons gave the ball back. Quarterback JT Fayard was hit as he threw and linebacker Tristan Driggers intercepted the pass at the Northwestern 29-yard line.
Barbie had a 12-yard run to begin the drive and Bryce Strong scored from 16 yards out two plays later to give McNeese the 18-point advantage.
The Cowboys added to their lead on their following possession. Barbie and Hamm carried the ball a combined three times for 36 yards to the Northwestern 38. On 3rd & 4, Flores found Senegal underneath for the 13-yard gain, then McNeese got a little tricky. Receiver Jamaal Levi got the ball on a reverse, turned around, and delivered a strike to Babrie for the 25-yard touchdown.
Strong fumbled on a 14-yard run after a Demon punt. On 4th & 1, Matthew Broad was stuffed by McNeese and turned the ball over on downs. On the third play of the fourth quarter, Flores’ pass down the sideline was intercepted by Caesar Magee III at the NSU 17-yard line.
Magee III returned for seconds on McNeese’s next drive. Flores tested the sideline again and Magee III came down with his second interception of the day, this time in the endzone for a touchback.
The Pokes added one more touchdown late on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock. Strong went in for the one-yard score as McNeese went up by 32 with 1:53 to go in the fourth quarter.
Northwestern State punted the ball one more time and the Pokes went into victory formation for the 35-3 win. McNeese’s record improved to 6-5 with the W.
BIG NUMBER: 6
Saturday afternoon’s game turned into a turnover fest with six between both programs. Each of McNeese and Northwestern State’s two quarterbacks combined for five interceptions and Cowboy running back Bryce Strong had a lost fumble.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Joshon Barbie
Barbie did much of the heavy lifting for McNeese on Saturday. The sophomore running back finished the day with 22 carries for 139 and added two receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown catch as the Pokes defeated the Demons 35-3. As a team, McNeese recorded 314 yards and three scores on the ground.
UP NEXT: The McNeese Cowboys (6-5) will conclude the 2024 regular season at home when they host Lamar. Kickoff inside Cowboy Stadium is set for 7:00 on Saturday, November 23rd and the action can be seen on ESPN+.