LAKE CHARLES – McNeese's first home game in 42 days didn't disappoint as the Cowboys used a powerful running game behind Bryce Strong and Joshon Barbie, each who clipped the 100-yard mark, by guiding McNeese to a 31-3 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Homecoming night and in Southland Conference action.
 
The win kept the Cowboys perfect at home on the season, now 4-0, while improving to 5-5 overall on the year (2-3 in Southland Conference play). It also snapped a three-game losing streak. The five wins are the most for the Cowboys in a season since 2019 (7-5).
 
Strong and Barbie engineered a rushing attack that finished with 367 yards, the most under head coach Gary Goff and the third-most in school history. And by allowing only a field goal, the Cowboys kept their opponent out of the endzone for the first time since the 2021 season (44-3 win over HCU).
 
Things started sluggish for the Cowboys when quarterback Kamden Sixkiller mishandled a high snap on the game's opening play with Texas A&M-Commerce (1-8, 1-3 SLC) recovering at the McNeese 11.
 
The Cowboys' defensive, who was swarming for most of the night, held the Lions to a 28-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead just 1:50 into the game.
 
McNeese responded quickly and often after that.
 
Barbie put the Cowboys on top 7-3 on a 6-yard run with 10:32 to play in the first quarter. It was his seventh rushing TD of the season, all coming in the last six games.
 
McNeese added to its lead with 2:17 to play in the quarter when trong blasted through the left side of the line for a 78-yard score and giving the Cowboys a 14-3 lead. That run matched the 10^th-longest TD rush in school history and was the longest run in three seasons.
 
The Cowboys got a take-away on the ensuing kickoff when Peyton Lemaire forced the ball loose from Lions' returner Dorian Gates, and recovered by McNeese's Johnquai Lewis at the Commerce 36.
 
On the next play, Barbie rushed 30 yards to the Commerce 6 in an attempt to get into the endzone for the third time on the night but McNeese was unable to punch it in and settled for an 18-yard field goal by Tyler Larco to increase the lead to 17-3 with 14:17 to play in the second half.
 
Jonathan Harris got into the touchdown action with a 21-yard reception from quarterback Kamden Sixkiller with 2:47 to play in the second quarter. It was Harris' first TD catch of the season. Setting up the score was a 24-yard run by Strong which put him over the 100-yard rushing mark in the contest and the first time this season. Strong finished with 121 yards rushing.
 
Barbie joined the 100-yard club early in the third quarter when a 17-yard gain eclipsed the mark to give him 108 at the time. He ended with a game-high 124 yards for his second straight 100-yard game.
 
Earlier in the week, head coach Gary Goff teased he may start playing younger players with three games remaining so it wouldn't affect their redshirt. That occurred late in the third quarter when quarterback and true freshman Devin Lippold out of Houston and ran a QB draw on a first down, sprinting to the endzone untouched from 17 yards out for the score and making it a 31-3 score.
 
McNeese outgained Commerce 427-236 in total offense. The Lions were held to just 48 yards rushing on the night, the fewest amount allowed by McNeese this season.
 
Sixkiller threw for 60 yards and a touchdown but only attempted 11 passes.
 
All-American linebacker Micah Davey led the defense with 15 tackles to go along with a half tackle for a loss, pass break-up, and an interception, the first in his career. Overall, McNeese forced three turnovers in the game. Jake Held also intercepted his first career pass.
 
The defense recorded a season-high nine tackles for a loss while matching a season-best with three sacks.
 
McNeese will be open next weekend before returning to action on November 16 at Northwestern State.
 
Postgame Notebook:
• It's the first time since the 2021 season McNeese has not allowed a touchdown (44-3 vs. HCU on Nov. 13).
• Joshon Barbie scored his 7^th TD in the last 6 games.
• Bryce Strong's 78-yard TD run in the 1^st quarter was the longest rushing TD on the season and tied as the 10^th-longest in school history.
• Strong's run was also the longest of 70 or more since a 72-yard Coleby Hamm run last season at Eastern Illinois and the longest of 78 yards or more since Mason Pierce rushed for an 80-yard TD in the 2021 spring season.
• Barbie and Strong are the first Cowboys running back duo to each rush for 100 yards in a game since November 2022 when Deonta McMahon (197) and Marcus McElroy (136) achieved it against HCU.
• Tyler Larco made a field goal for the fourth straight game and is 7-for-7 during that span.
• McNeese's 24 first half points were the second most in the first half this season and the second time the Cowboys scored 20 or more in the first two quarters.
• Jake Held's 4^th quarter interception was the first in his career.
• The defense recorded a season-high nine tackles for a loss in the game and matched a season-high with three sacks.
• The Cowboys shutout an opponent in the 4^th quarter for the fifth time this season while now allowing a 4^th quarter TD for the seventh time.