LAKE CHARLES – McNeese's defense showed no mercy on Mississippi College's triple option attack on Saturday night as the Cowboys chalked up their first shutout since the 2012 season in a 37-0 blanking over the Choctaws.
 
The win moved the 17^th-ranked Cowboys to 3-0 on the year while MC fell to 2-2.
 
But the defense wasn't the only side of the ball putting up impressive numbers as the offense rolled up 506 offensive yards including 265 on the ground.
 
Quarterback Daniel Sams led the way with 78 yards on 10 carries while Ryan Ross added 73 yards and a touchdown. Sams had one of his most impressive games passing after he completed 11 of 16 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
 
"I thought we were a lot sharper offensively," said head coach Matt Viator who picked up his 71^st all-time win. "I thought we executed a lot better than what we have. I thought Daniel was really good. He threw the ball good. We had a little better rhythm."
 
Sams threw a perfect 40-yard strike to Kent Shelby with 3:57 to play in the first quarter to put the Cowboys up 13-0. Then just 34 seconds into the second quarter, he hit David Bush who weaved his way 22 yards for a score to make it 20-0.
 
McNeese squandered away a couple of other scoring chances when they fumbled the ball away.
 
"Other than those fumbles, I thought we did really well offensively," said Viator.
 
Defensively, the Cowboys held MC's potent running game to just 99 yards on the ground and 114 overall. The Choctaws entered the game averaging 282 yards rushing and 399 for the game along with averaging 40 points a game.
 
"I thought our defensive and coaches and kids did a great job," said Viator. "They threw in a few wrinkles with the counter play they were running that I thought was pretty good.
 
"It's a good win for us."
 
The Cowboys got the quick start on offense they have been looking for even after a 27-yard completion from Sams to Tavarious Battiste to the Choctaw 15 yard line was coughed up and turned over on the opening drive.
 
On the next series, Derrick Milton got the scoring going with a 4-yard touchdown run to make it 6-0 after the failed point after kick.
 
The Cowboys seemed to get back into good field position after Jalen Bowers blocked a punt, but the ball hit off of Andre Fuller's back ruling it live and was recovered by Mississippi College. After a three-and-out forced by the defense, Sams found Shelby on a 40-yard air strike three plays into the drive to make it 13-0 with 3:57 to play in the first quarter.
 
Another quick defensive stand gave the Cowboys the ball back just minutes later and that's when Sams found Bush for the 22-yard score to make it 20-0, a score the Cowboys would take into the half.
 
Trent Manuel upped the score to 23-0 with 8:26 to play in the third quarter after his 43-yard field goal banked through off the left upright for the score.
 
Quarterback Grant Ashcraft played the entire fourth quarter and completed 6 of 7 passes for 67 yards. He also rushed twice for 22 yards including the games final score when he ran it from five yards out with 9:56 to play.
 
Battiste led the receivers with five catches for 67 yards while Austin Nelson hauled in three passes for 42 yards.
 
On defense, the Cowboys got their first interception of the season when Fuller picked off a Walker Meadows pass at the McNeese 3 and returned it 50 yards with less than three minutes to play to secure the shutout.
 
Two MC quarterbacks combined to complete just 2 of 11 passes for 15 yards and an interception. Running back Chris Ingram led the team on the ground with 36 yards on 12 carries.
 
The Cowboys will return to Southland Conference play next Saturday when they visit Nicholls for a 2:30 kickoff that will be televised on Cox Sports TV.