THIBODAUX – Joshon Barbie rushed for a season-high 121 yards and McNeese offered a balanced offensive attack with 168 rushing with 233 passing yards, but Nicholls offered up more defensive stands to help it survive the Cowboys on their homecoming day, 24-19, here Saturday afternoon.
 
The loss was the third straight suffered by McNeese (4-5, 1-3 SLC) while Nicholls (4-4, 2-1) won for the second straight time while improving to 3-0 at home. The Colonels also won for the fourth straight time over the Cowboys in the series.
 
Kamden Sixkiller got his second straight start at quarterback for the Cowboys and completed 22 of 40 passes for 233 yards and an interception, that coming on the game's final play. Barbie's rushing yards where the most allowed by the Colonels this season while the 168 team rushing are also a season-high against the nation's No. 2 rushing defense.
 
McNeese tight end Logan Mauldin led eight Cowboy receivers with five catches for 51 yards.
 
Sixkiller was sacked five times in the game, four of those by Colonel edge rusher Jake Dalmado, who was also credited for a safety sack.
 
Nicholls totaled 371 yards in the game, 193 rushing and 178 passing. Quarterback Pat McQuaide completed 18 of 34 passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Miequele Brock led the running game with 101 yards and a score while wide receiver Terry Matthews caught eight passes for 94 yards.
 
Sixkiller started hot, completing his first four passes and gaining three first downs. But the drive stalled with a turnover on downs at the Nicholls 27 with just over 11 minutes to play in the opening quarter.
 
McNeese had a chance for its first score of the game when Sixkiller's 30-yard pass to tight end Logan Mauldin couldn't be held on in the endzone.
 
Nicholls started the scoring after Dalmado sacked Sixkiller to go up 2-0 with 8:45 to play in the first.
 
Tyler Larco put the Cowboys up 3-2 after tying a career-long with a 47-yard field goal with 3:29 to play in the first quarter.  
 
Barbie scored the game's first touchdown on a 69-yard spurt up the middle, giving McNeese a 10-2 lead.
 
The Colonels responded right away when Brock scored on a 66-yard run. The 2-point conversion failed and McNeese led 10-8 with 4:06 to play in the 2^nd quarter.
 
Nicholls held McNeese to a punt on the ensuing possession then took the lead with 1:14 to play in the half when McQuaide's dump-off pass to Collin Guggenheim turned into a 39-yard score and a 14-10 lead.
 
The Cowboys moved the ball down the field with the help of a couple of personal foul penalties by Nicholls and had a 1^st-and-goal at the Nicholls 10 with 30 seconds to play. A couple of 5-yard penalties backed the ball up to the 20 with 8-seconds remaining. Sixkiller completed a pass to Jer'Michael Carter at the 2 but he was unable to push forward to the goal line and the clock ran out.
 
The two teams traded field goals in the second half, Nicholls a 41-yarder by Gabe Showalter with 5:14 to play in the third, then Larco from 26-yards out just seconds into the fourth quarter as Nicholls held a 17-13 lead.
 
McNeese finally returns home next Saturday when it hosts Texas A&M-Commerce for homecoming.
 
Postgame Notebook:
• The 69-yard touchdown run by Joshon Barbie in the second quarter is the longest run of his career. The previous long was 60 yards against Lamar last season.
• Barbie's 121 rushing yards is the most by a RB against the Colonels this season (111 by Elijah Tau-Tolliver of Sacramento State).
• McNeese's 168 rushing yards in the game are the most allowed by the Colonels this season.
• Johnquai Lewis's 2^nd quarter interception was his first on the season and second in his career.
• TE Logan Mauldin's five catches extended his streak to at least one reception in five straight games.
• McNeese converted 4 of 14 on third downs while Nicholls finished 7 for 15.