LAKE CHARLES – Freshman quarterback
Chase Fourcade threw for a career-high 341 yards, but the Nicholls State University football team was kept out of the end zone until late in the game as No. 23/22 McNeese rolled to a 38-13 victory over the Colonels on Saturday night at Cowboy Stadium.
The loss dropped Nicholls to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Southland. McNeese, which extended its winning streak in the series against the Colonels to eight games, improved to 3-2 and 2-1.
Nicholls was held to just 31 yards rushing on 28 carries, resulting in a busy day for freshman Fourcade. He finished 25-of-47, had two interceptions and scored the offense's only touchdown on a 1-yard sneak late in the fourth after the game was well out of reach.
C.J. Bates was Fourcade's main target, catching eight balls for 97 yards.
Christian Booker had four grabs for 73 yards and
Damion Jeanpiere added three receptions for 71 yards.
McNeese also had a tough time running the ball, tallying 71 yards on 26 carries. Although running back Ryan Ross was held in check, netting 19 yards on 13 carries, he found the end zone twice on the ground and had nine catches for 110 yards. His first score gave the Cowboys a 14-3 lead and his touchdown run in the third made it 28-6.
James Tabary posted a career-day for the Cowboys with 367 yards passing and two scores. His final touchdown pass came on an 80-yard toss to Kylon Highshaw to make the score 38-6 in the fourth. Fourcade scored the game's last points on a touchdown run from 1-yard out.
The defense was led by
Ahmani Martin and
Allen Pittman with seven tackles each.
Christian Boutte picked up an interception in the second quarter, but the offense was unable to capitalize.
On the Colonels' opening drive of the game, Fourcade started things off with a 51-yard pass to Jeanpiere, but a fourth-down attempt inside the 30 gave the ball to McNeese. Nicholls struggled on third down all night, converting on just 5 of 17.
On Nicholls' next possession, the Cowboy defense came up with a huge play as Andre Fuller scored on a 27-yard interception return. The ball was tipped into the air by Khalil Thomas, and Fuller grabbed it and took it into the end zone, resulting in a 7-0 lead for McNeese.
Nicholls answered on the next drive, getting a 23-yard field goal by
David McKey. The Colonels went 79 yards on 12 plays, highlighted by receptions from Booker and
Jarrell Rogers. Booker made an outstanding one-handed catch for 20 yards at midfield, and Rogers caught a 21-yarder falling away to put the ball at the 2. But McNeese stuffed the Colonels for a pair of 2-yard losses to force the field goal.
Early in the second, Damion Morgan intercepted Fourcade's first pass and returned 22 yards to midfield. The turnover led to a 46-yard scoring drive, capped on a 4-yard touchdown run by Ross with 6:24 until the break.
Following two punts by the Colonels, McNeese extended its lead right before the half with another touchdown. The 8-play, 73-yard scoring drive was polished off by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Tabary to Parker Orgeron with 16 seconds remaining on the clock.
In the third, the Colonels started out the quarter with a 33-yard field goal by McKey to make the count 21-6. Bates hauled in a 24-yard grab and Rogers caught a 23-yarder, but once again, McNeese kept the Colonels out of the end zone.
The Cowboys' offense continued to roll with their third touchdown in their last four drives, this one coming on an 11-yard scamper by Ross. The extra point gave McNeese a commanding 28-6 lead.
In the fourth, McNeese added a 37-yard field goal before Highshaw's big catch from Tabary.
C.J. Okpalobi rushed for 18 yards on 12 carries for the Colonels. It was the lowest rushing total for the offense since last season against Central Arkansas in the home finale (10 yards).
The Colonels will return to action next Saturday, Oct. 8 for Homecoming against Stephen F. Austin. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on the American Sports Network.
