LAKE CHARLES – Nicholls scored 21 of its 31 points off McNeese turnovers and took advantage of Cowboy penalties and special team miscues as the Colonels captured their first win of the season by beating McNeese 31-10 in the Southland Conference opener for both teams on Saturday night in Cowboy Stadium.
 
The loss dropped the Cowboys' record to 0-5 on the year, the first time since the 1954 season that has happened. Nicholls improved to 1-3 and defeated McNeese for the third straight time.
 
A first quarter muffed punt set up the Colonels on the McNeese 5 where in two plays, running back Collin Guggenheim ran it in from 2 yards out to put Nicholls up 7-0 just three minutes into the game. With the score 17-7, Colonel linebacker Quinton Sharkey intercepted a Nate Glantz pass and returned it 22 yards for a score as the Colonels built a 24-7 halftime lead.
 
Nicholls got its final touchdown early in the fourth quarter following a second Glantz pick to go up 31-10.
 
"It was us. All us," said McNeese head coach Gary Goff. "You have to win the turnover battle and we didn't tonight."
 
McNeese was also flagged 11 times for 99 yards, both highs in Goff's McNeese career.
 
"That's not our kind of football at all," he said about the penalties.
 
McNeese outgained Nicholls 365-293 in offensive yards and after giving up an average of 262 yards rushing a game heading into the contest, held the Colonels to 171 yards on the night, 88 of those through the first three quarters.
 
Guggenheim ran for 103 yards on 22 carries to lead all rushers and had 63 of those in the fourth quarter.
 
D'Angelo Durham ran for 45 yards to lead McNeese while Glantz picked up 38 while also throwing for 199 yards on 14 of 30 passing. Jon McCall caught four passes for 87 yards to top the McNeese receiving corp.
 
After Nicholls went up 14-0, McNeese put together an impressive 10-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown pass by Glantz to McCall to cut the margin to 14-7 with 8:50 to play in the first half.
 
Nicholls responded with a 25-yard field goal by Gavin Lasseigne with 2:57 on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Glantz threw a 2^nd down interception to Sharkey who returned it 22 yards for the score and build a 24-7 lead for the Colonels.
 
McNeese received the ball to start the second half and got a 44-yard field goal by Garrison Smith to cut the margin to 24-10 with 6:54 to play in the third quarter.
 
McNeese got the ball back after Sedric Applewhite recovered a fumble in the red-zone a the McNeese 14 but five plays later and the Cowboys driving to the 42, Glantz's pass would be intercepted for the second time on the night. The Colonels answered with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took 6:46 off the clock and built a 31-10 lead.
 
McNeese will return to action next Saturday when it visits Texas A&M-Commerce.