LAKE CHARLES – True freshman quarterback Kam Sixkiller threw for 249 yards and freshman wide receiver
Cory O'Bryant hauled in 100 yards on six catches but HCU dominated the running game and took advantage of four McNeese turnovers on its way to a 35-24 win over the Cowboys.
HCU (6-4, 4-2 SLC) beat McNeese (1-9, 1-5) for the first time in series history (six meetings) while capturing the program's first-ever winning season.
The Huskies rushed for 225 yards led by Jesse Valenzuela's 171-yard output to go along with a 17-yard score to seal the win with 1:24 to play.
HCU capitalized on McNeese's first turnover of the game when Sixkiller's pass was intercepted by Jordan Oliver and returned 57-yards for a touchdown just 1:29 into the game. Sixkiller composed himself after that and following a
Garrison Smith 27-yard field goal and another HCU touchdown put it up 14-3, Sixkiller connected with O'Bryant on a 39-yard scoring toss to pull McNeese to within 14-10 late in the first quarter.
McNeese turned the ball over twice in the second quarter, both fumbles, but McNeese's defense held the Huskies to three-and-outs on the ensuing possessions.
The Cowboys took the lead with 3:46 to play in the second quarter when
Joshon Barbie scored on a 24-yard run making it a 17-14 advantage as the Cowboys took the lead into the break.
HCU scored on its first possession in the second half when quarterback Colby Suits found Karl Reynolds on a 49-yard score to put the Huskies up 21-17. McNeese answered with a 16-play, 74-yard drive that took 7:38 off the clock and ended on a 3-yard D'Angelo Durham run in the Wildcat formation and giving McNeese the lead back at 24-21 with 4:19 to play in the third.
The Huskies outscored McNeese 14-0 in the fourth quarter but the Cowboys had an opportunity late in the game stripped away when a questionable unnecessary roughness call was made on a Cowboy defensive back on a third-and-14 and giving HCU a first down with less than three minutes to play. Five plays later the Huskies scored the closer with 1:24 to go.
Barbie led McNeese with 84 yards rushing on 10 carries and averaged 8.4 yards per carry.
Defensively,
Micah Davey recorded a career-high 20 tackles with 13 of those solos.
The Cowboys will look to capture their first win on the field next Saturday in the season finale when they visit Lamar in the annual Battle of the Border matchup.
