The McNeese Cowboys were on a two-game win streak as they began a four-game road trip. Their first stop was Ogden, Utah where the Pokes matched up with the Weber State Wildcats. A slow first half was contrasted with a high-scoring second half and a prolific rushing attack gave the Cowboys the 28-26 win on Saturday to improve to 4-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Weber State got the ball to begin the game and picked up a first down after three plays. McNeese’s Boogsie Silvera and Marquel Price helped force a punt by breaking up back-to-back pass attempts to receiver Jacob Sharp.
The Cowboys on their first possession went right down the field. Quarterback Clifton McDowell moved the chains with a 12-yard run before completing two straight passes to Jer’Micahel Carter for 31 total yards. Joshon Barbie capped off the drive with a 25-yard touchdown run to put McNeese up by seven less than five minutes into the game.
Five out of the next six drives resulted in punts while the other was a turnover on down by the Wildcats as quarterback Richie Munoz’s screen pass to Marvin Session resulted in a three-yard loss on 4th & 3.
Weber State went 60 yards in nine plays on the next drive. Munoz picked up 15 yards and a first down with his legs on a QB keeper. A few plays later, Munoz completed a five-yard pass to Sharp who was tackled short of the sticks. That led to kicker Sloan Calder lining up for his first field goal of the day but the attempt was wide right.
The Cowboys got the ball back and moved into Wildcat territory with a 10-yard catch by Kameron Senegal and a 21-yard run by Bryce Strong. On 3rd & 12, McDowell picked up the first down but had the ball stripped loose. Offensive lineman Cole LeClair saved the day by falling on the football to maintain possession at the 23-yard line. Despite being in field goal range, McNeese couldn’t put any more points on the board as Jonathan Harris made the catch and was tackled three yards short on fourth down.
McDowell fumbled again on McNeese’s next possession and Weber State recovered near midfield. Damon Bankston had a 21-yard run, then Munoz connected with Marcus Chretien a couple of plays later for the 10-yard score with 29 seconds left in the second quarter. The Wildcats opted to run a trick play on the PAT try but holder Oscar Doyle was stopped short of the goal line and the two-point attempt was no good.
The Cowboys took a knee to head to halftime with a 7-6 lead.
McNeese went three-and-out on their first drive and Weber State went right down the field, scoring in five plays. Bankston had a 44-yard run on 2nd & 6 to set up Munoz for a five-yard touchdown pass to Dahlyn Jones and gave the Wildcats the six-point advantage.
The Pokes responded with a scoring drive of their own. On the first play, McDowell’s pass to Harris went for a gain of 61. The star quarterback followed that with a carry of 10 yards and took it in himself on 3rd & GOAL for the one-yard score. McNeese was ahead 14-13 with 9:39 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats scored on their third straight possession, this time getting 63 yards in eight plays. Munoz had a couple of tough runs while Davion Godley broke loose for a 31-yard run to set up Weber State at McNeese’s 20-yard line. Bankston put his team back up with a nine-yard scoring run off the left side.
Barbie and company took the lead once again on the following drive. McDowell had a 14-yard run to start the possession and completed a 25-yard pass down the sideline to Logan Mauldin but it was Barbie who reached paydirt from three yards out. The Cowboys were up by one with under a minute to go in the third.
McNeese’s defense forced a three-and-out and that allowed their offense to extend the lead. Jessie Campbell III’s 25-yard catch put the Pokes at the 21 of the Wildcats. Barbie recorded his third touchdown of the night with the nine-yard run.
A good return by Colter May set up Weber State’s offense near midfield. Munoz took his first shot deep and connected with Sharp for a pickup of 49 to the McNeese six-yard line. Bankston scored from a yard out three plays later. The Wildcats dialed up another trick play, similar looking to the Philly Special but Sharp was tackled short of the goal line and the two-point attempt to tie the game was no good.
Neither team could score over the final seven and a half minutes as there were three punts between both teams. Weber State had one more chance to take the lead but Munoz’s pass on fourth down fell incomplete and McNeese got the 28-26 road win.
BIG NUMBER: 525
It was a big night for rushing the football in Ogden, Utah. There were 510 rushing yards recorded between McNeese and Weber State (238 for McNeese, 287 for Weber State). Clifton McDowell was the Cowboys’ leading rusher with 109 yards while Damon Bankston had the most yards for the Wildcats with 140.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Joshon Barbie
Barbie had a little bit of a coming-out party as he rushed for 70 yards on 13 carries. The McNeese running back also had three important touchdowns as the Pokes improved to 4-2 with the 28-26 win over Weber State on Saturday.
UP NEXT: The McNeese Cowboys will head to Texas to take on the Houston Christian Huskies. Kickoff inside Husky Stadium is set for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th. You can watch the game on ESPN+.