HAMMOND – Missed opportunities inside the red zone came back to haunt McNeese in the fourth quarter despite a heroic effort by the Cowboys' defense against Southeastern, the nation's second most-explosive offense, in a 23-20 loss on Saturday in Southland Conference action.
 
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak by the Cowboys as they fall to 3-5 on the season and 2-3 in league play while the Lions improved to 7-1 and remained unbeaten in the conference with a 5-0 mark.
 
"I thought our team played hard against a quality football team," said head coach Frank Wilson. "They're a top 10 team in the country for a reason. Once again we took them to the wire."
 
McNeese scored with 41 seconds to play on a Cody Orgeron 7-yard run to pull the Cowboys to within 23-20, but the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Lions and they were able to run out the clock.
 
It's the fourth straight game that was decided by five points on less between the two teams and the third straight victory for the Lions over the Cowboys. SLU held off McNeese 38-35 back on Oct. 2 in Lake Charles.
 
This time, McNeese held the upper hand for most of the game behind a ferocious defense that held the Lions to their lowest point total (23), total offensive yards (375) and passing yards (245) on the season.
 
Three times, twice in the second quarter and once early in the third, McNeese held a first down inside the Lion 5 and all three times the Cowboys came away empty.
 
"It's something we've done well," said Wilson about taking advantage of turnovers. "We've converted well when creating opportunities. We didn't do that tonight. And when we got down in there (red zone), we didn't finish."
 
The Lions, ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring with averaging over 50 points per game, didn't see the end zone until the 1:14 mark of the third quarter when quarterback Cole Kelley, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner, found Damien Dawson from the 1-yard line on fourth down, and put the Lions up 10-7.
 
"I felt like we played a good game," said linebacker Kordell Williams who finished with 11 tackles with a sack, interception, fumble recovery and two tackles for a loss. "We did what coach put us in position to do. We played a good game, just every time the dice don't roll our way."
 
After McNeese's next possession ended in a three-and-out, Kelley connected with Austin Mitchell down the left sideline for a 77-yard score and increasing the Lions' lead to 16-7 a minute into the fourth quarter. The extra-point kick was blocked by Chris Joyce.
 
McNeese had plenty of opportunities to build on an early 7-3 lead but failed to get points on the board despite having the ball inside the SLU 5-yard line twice, both times in the second quarter, then another opportunity inside the 10 in the third quarter.
 
The first of those scoring opportunities came early in the second quarter when the Cowboys had the ball at the Lion 1 but following a false start penalty and three plays that resulted in just three yards, a 21-yard field goal attempt by walk-on kicker Christian Donnelly was missed right and the score remained 7-3.
 
The defense held strong, forcing a three-and-out then an interception by Williams after Kelley's pass was tipped up by Andre Sam, gave McNeese the ball back at the Lion 8 following a 17-yard interception return.
 
Facing a fourth-and-goal at the 2, Orgeron attempted to score at the right pylon was was cut down short of the goal line and once again the Cowboys came up empty.
 
The Lions' next possession saw them start from their own 1 and move across the 50 to the McNeese 40 where a tackle from behind by Williams on Kelley was short of the first down marker on a fourth-and-8 play.
 
McNeese would go into the half with a 7-3 lead after the Lions got the ball back one more time at the end of the quarter and when Kelley would be stripped of the ball by Accord Green and Darius Daniels picked it up and returned it to the SLU 18 as time expired.
 
Williams came up big in SLU's first possession to start the second half when he recovered a Kelley fumble that was forced by Colby Richardson, then on the first play from scrimmage, Orgeron completed a 21-yard pass to Josh Matthews and was followed by a 25-yard run by Deonta McMahon to get the ball to the Lion 1. But on first-and-goal, Zy Alexander intercepted Orgeron's pass and keeping the Cowboys out of the end zone.
 
The Cowboys put together a masterful opening drive that ended when Orgeron connected with Pierce for a 20-yard catch and run for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead. On that drive, that lasted 10 plays for 75 yards and took just over five minutes off the clock, the Cowboys averaged right about six yards per play on first downs while converting on all four of their third downs.
 
The Lions got on the board following a 29-yard Mateo Rengifo with 4:29 to play in the first quarter to make it a 7-3 McNeese lead.
 
"I went into the locker room immediately following the game and our kids were dejected," said Wilson. "They were hurting because they believed we could win. They did a lot of things to put us in position to win. I don't think it's a moral victory. Our team believed we could win this game and we played this game to win tonight."
 
McNeese outgained the Lions 428-375 in total offense. Orgeron completed 17 of 32 passes for 195 yards, a touchdown and interception. He also led the team with 95 yards rushing and a score.
 
Kelley completed 18 of 30 passes with two TDs and a pick for the Lions.
 
McNeese will return home next Saturday when it hosts Nicholls at noon in Cowboy Stadium.