McNeese State played Incarnate Word in a Southland conference game this past Saturday and was looking to end a 2 game losing streak. In a game that had both sides of the ball contributing to the scoreboard, the Cowboys would come out victorious 42-35.
Incarnate Word put points on the board first as Jordan Hicks caught a 34-yard reception touchdown. However, the Cowboys wasted little time and played solid football moving the chains effectively with a 36-yard reception and 12-yard reception to help set up a rushing touchdown by Ryan Ross for 5 yards.
On the next drive, McNeese would get their first interception of the season in Cardinal territory as Ed Duplessis picked the ball on the 39-yard line. Tabary would connect on a 36-yard pass to Nick Edwards who fell just short on the 1-yard line. However, the Cowboys would then capitalize on the touchdown opportunity as Lawayne Ross punched through for the score to put the Cowboys up 14-7. The defense held the Cardinals scoreless for the rest of the quarter and would help set up an 85-yard bomb from Tabary to Darious Crawley to start the 2nd quarter. It was the 4th longest touchdown in McNeese’s football program history.
The Cowboys would later add another touchdown from Tabary as he made a smart 2-yard pass to Damon Gladney to widen the lead even more 28-7. McNeese was starting to run away with the game but Incarnate Word scored a touchdown with about a minute left on the clock before halftime to bring the score to 28-14. McNeese responded with a 97-yard kickoff return to end the half with a convincing 35-14 lead going into the 2nd half.
The Cowboys came off to a good start in the 2nd half as Christian Jacobs scooped up a fumble and returned it for 22 yards for a touchdown early in the 3rd quarter to bring the score to 42-14. Things were not looking good for the Cardinals as McNeese continued to run up the scoreboard. However, the Cowboys lost momentum and things took a spin when Incarnate Word scored three 4th quarter touchdowns to bring the game within a touchdown deficit. The Cowboy defense would eventually hold off the scoring surge from the Cardinals and come out victorious. McNeese will continue conference play next Saturday at home as they host Nicholls State in an interstate showdown.
By: Alec Miller