LAKE CHARLES – McNeese ran for a season-high 313 yards and rushed for six touchdowns as the Cowboys beat Northwestern State 50-3 on Saturday night, marking the 100^th career win for head coach Matt Viator.
 
The 47-point margin of victory was the largest in the 75-year history of the series.
 
McNeese improved to 3-6 with the win and 2-3 in Southland Conference play while the Demons fell to 1-8 and 0-5. Viator improved to 11-0 against the Demons in his career.
 
The Cowboys finished the night with 461 total yards, the most since totaling 537 against Weber State in week three of the season. Included in that number was a season-high 313 rushing yards.
 
Five different players scored a total of six rushing touchdowns, led by Coleby Hamm who had two. Quarterback Jake Strong led the team with 94 yards rushing and a TD to go along with 11 of 17 passing for 121 yards and a score.
 
Tre'Vonte Citizen added 63 yards and a TD, Bryce Strong rushed for 60 yards, Jaylen Thompson 41 yards and a score, and Devin Lippold added a 1-yard TD run. Collin Fabacher rushed for 10 yards on two carries for his first action of the season.
 
The Demons scored the first three points in the game on a 33-yard Grayson Lytton field goal after NSU obtained the ball on a picked off pass. McNeese proceeded to score 50 unanswered points, starting on a Hamm 1-yard TD run then a successful 2-point conversion to make it 8-3 with 6:45 to play in the first quarter.
 
The Cowboys scored 21 points in the second quarter behind a 35-yard run by Jake Strong, a 10-yard Citizen score and Lippold with a 2-yard plunge as McNeese carried a 29-3 lead into the half.
 
McNeese's running game in the first half dominated with a season-high 244 yards through the first two quarters while the Demons managed just 114 total yards in the half.
 
Jonathan Harris scored on a 23-yard jet sweep pass from Strong midway through the third quarter, marking his fifth TD on the season. Hamm added his second 1-yard score and Thompson ran it in from nine yards out late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
 
Defensively, Phillip Bradford dominated in making his first start in place of the injured Masey Lewis. Bradford, who entered the game as the team leader in tackles for a loss, added 4.5 along with two sacks and finished with six total tackles, a fumble recovery and a QB hurry.
 
As a unit, McNeese sacked the NSU quarterback three times and recorded nine tackles for a loss.
 
McNeese held NSU to 178 total yards, the least amount allowed against a Division I opponent this season by 101 yards (279 by HCU).
 
The Cowboys did not commit a penalty in the game.
 
The Cowboys have held opponents to three points in the last 10 quarters played at home.
 
Next Up:
McNeese will travel to face East Texas A&M next Saturday at 4 p.m. in Commerce. ETAM lost 59-14 to Southeastern on Saturday, dropping to 2-7 overall and 2-3 in the league.
 
How it Happened:
1^st 11:03 NSU Grayson Lytton 33 yd field goal. 7 plays, 10 yards, 2:44. NSU 3-0.
1^st 06:45 McN Coleby Hamm 1 yd run (PAT pass caught by T. Hayes). 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:13. McN 8-3.
2^nd 13:52 McN Jake Strong 35 yd run (Deaglan Camron kick). 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:45. McN 15-3.
2^nd 10:20 McN Tre'Vonte Citizen 10 yd run (Camron kick). 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:53. McN 22-3.
2^nd 02:30 McN Devin Lippold 2 yd run (Camron kick). 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:25. McN 29-3.
3^rd 08:54 McN Jonathan Harris 23 yd reception thrown by Jake Strong (Camron kick). 5 plays, 35 yards, 2:17. McN 36-3.
4^th 14:21 McN Hamm 1 yd run (Camron kick). 6 plays, 53 yards, 2:49. McN 43-3.
4^th 02:27 McN Jaylen Thompson 9 yd run (Camron kick). 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:58. McN 50-3.
 
Notebook:
• The 244 yards rushing in the first half were the most in a half this season (previous high was 190 in second half vs. Weber State).
• McNeese ran for 157 yards in the second quarter alone, the most in a quarter this season (previous high was 149 yards in the fourth quarter against Weber State).
• McNeese had eight plays where it gained 20 yards or more including three with 30-plus yards gained. Six of those eight were rushing plays.
• The 50 points were the most scored against a Division I team this season (41 vs. Weber State) and the second time to hit the 50 mark (54 vs. Louisiana Christian).
• Recorded four scoring drives of 70+ yards and three scoring drives of 10+ plays.
• QB Jake Strong's 35-yard TD run in the second quarter was his longest rush of the season (previous was 34 yards vs. HCU).
• Four freshmen saw action for the first time this season – CB Kenyatta Fleet, DE Andre Roy Jr., DL Jacoby Berry.
• McNeese safety Javon Davis intercepted NSU quarterback Abram Johnston pass on the second play of the game.
• NSU picked off a Jake Strong pass on McNeese's second play of the game.
• Northwestern State won the toss and elected to receive the ball.