SAN ANTONIO – UIW scored 17 straight points in the second and third quarters and ran 91 plays as the No. 13/14 Cardinals were able to outduel McNeese 30-17 in Southland Conference action here on Saturday.
 
UIW improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play while McNeese dropped to 4-4 and 1-2. The Cowboys will close out their four-game, six-week road trip next Saturday at Nicholls.
 
McNeese quarterback Kamden Sixkiller, getting the start in place of injured Clifton McDowell, completed 21 of 36 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 26 yards. Joshon Barbie led the Cowboys with 59 yards rushing and a touchdown.
 
The Cowboys ran 61 plays, 30 fewer than UIW, and totaled 324 yards. The Cardinals finished with 424 total yards, 182 rushing and 242 receiving. UIW also converted on all six fourth down attempts in the game.
 
UIW quarterback Zach Calzada completed 21 of 42 passes for 204 yards. He also rushed for 39 yards and a TD. Running back Dekalon Taylor ran for 103 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Cowboys took a 7-0 first quarter lead when Sixkiller connected with Jer'Michael Carter 36-yard score with 1:45 to play in the opening frame.
 
UIW closed the gap to 7-3 following a Brack Peacock 26-yard field goal early in the second quarter but not before the Cowboys' defense got a big tackle for a loss by Tristan Driggers on a 2^nd-down inside the 5.
 
On McNeese's next possession, a converted third down was nullified on a Cowboys' holding penalty. That led to a punt and 10 plays later, UIW took a 10-7 lead when quarterback Zach Calzada scored on a 15-yard run.
 
McNeese tied the game at 10-10 following a 35-yard field goal by Tyler Larcos with 1:45 to play in the half but the Cowboys came within inches of going up 14-10.
 
Facing a 2^nd-and-3 at their own 43, Sixkiller completed a short pass to Jamaal Levi who turns it into a 37-yard gain and loses his balance out of bounds at the 20 on what appeared to be a sure touchdown.
 
A 9-yard loss by a sack followed and the Cowboys had to settle for a game-tying field goal.
 
UIW responded quickly, moving the ball down the field in 1:33 to get a 30-yard field goal by Peacock to go up 13-10 at the half.
 
The Cardinals added to their lead right off the bat in the third quarter as they took the opening kickoff and returned it 59-yards by former Cowboy Mason Pierce. Six plays later Taylor ran it in from seven yards out to build a 20-10 lead.
 
The lead grew to 27-10 with 8:25 to go in the third when UIW backup quarterback Richard Torres connected with Jalen Walthall for a 28-yard completion. Torres entered the game two plays earlier when Calzada was banged up when attempting to recover a fumble on a botched hand off.
 
Barbie gave the Cowboys some life with a 38-yard touchdown run after he broke several tackles along the way. That cut the UIW lead to 27-17 with 3:03 to play in the third quarter. But the drive was kept alive one play prior when Sixkiller used his legs to gain 24 yards on a second down scramble that moved the ball into UIW territory.
 
UIW added another Peacock field goal and the Cowboys' final attempt to close the gap ended by turning the ball over on downs with 39 seconds to play.
 
All-American linebacker Micah Davey returned to action after missing the last four-and-a-half games with an injury and recorded 10 tackles with 1.5 tackles for a loss.