NATCHITOCHES – Joshon Barbie ran for a career-high 139 yards and Bryce Strong added 106 yards and two touchdowns to lead a strong McNeese running attack in a 35-3 win over Northwestern State on Saturday afternoon.
 
The win improved McNeese's record to 6-5 on the season, 3-3 in league play, and assured at least a .500 season for the first time since 2019. NSU remained winless on the year at 0-11 and 0-6 in the conference.
 
Barbie recorded his third straight 100-yard rushing game while Strong notched his second straight over the century mark as the Cowboys ran for 314 yards in the game. Barbie added 31 receiving yards on two catches, including a 25-yard TD grab from Jamaal Levi on a late third-quarter trick play.
 
Defensively, the DWA held the Demons to just 157 total yards, 61 of those on the ground, and recorded 14 tackles for a loss, the most since getting 13 against Arkansas Tech in the 2014 season.
 
Quarterback Alex Flores had his number called late in the second quarter after starter Kamden Sixkiller completed 5 of 8 passes for 39 yards and an interception. Flores ended the day 8 for 14 for 62 yards, a TD and two picks.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, McNeese got on the board first when Coleby Hamm rushed it in from 2 yards out putting the Cowboys on top 7-0 with 11:57 to play. It was Hamm's first TD of the season and 22^nd rushing touchdown by the Cowboys on the year.
 
The Demons added a 25-yard field goal by Reed Honshtein three minutes later to cut the margin to 7-3.
 
The two teams traded interceptions midway through the second period, then late in the quarter, Barbie had a 62-yard touchdown called back after a down field holding penalty on the Cowboys. That set the ball up at the NSU 33 with less than two minutes to go. Seven plays later and 5-for-5 passing by Flores, the new QB found Logan Mauldin for a 2-yard pass and catch score to give the Cowboys a 14-3 lead with 29 seconds to play in the half.
 
The lead grew to 21-3 early in the third quarter when Bryce Strong scored from 16-yards out on his first carry of the game. The score came after Tristan Driggers picked off a Demon pass at the NSU 27.
 
The Cowboys dug down into the bag of tricks on their next possession. Using a reverse wide receiver pass, Barbie took the handoff from Flores around the end who pitched it to Levi who was streaking Barbie. Barbie fled down the sideline wide open as Levi found him in the back of the endzone for a 25-yard score and a 28-3 lead with 5:30 to play in the quarter.
 
Strong scored his second TD with 1:53 to play from 1-yard out.
 
McNeese will close out its season at home next Saturday when it hosts Lamar. McNeese's seniors will be recognized in a pregame ceremony.