THE OFFICIAL HOME OF McNEESE ATHLETICS

HOUSTON - McNeese edge RJ Staten recorded three sacks and seven tackles while the Cowboys' Defense With Attitude played with every bit of that action on Saturday to help lead McNeese to a 10-0 shutout win over HCU and marking the first time since 1998 where the Cowboys have not allowed a touchdown in back-to-back games.
 
The win evened the Cowboys' record to 5-5 on the season while improving to 4-3 in Southland Conference play and getting over the .500 mark this deep into the season for the first time since the 2019 slate.
 
McNeese was dominant on defense by holding HCU to a season-low 70 yards rushing along with 197 total offensive yards, the second-lowest of the season. The Huskies (4-6, 3-4) tallied 35 of their yards in their final drive of the game.
 
The Cowboys finished with 336 yards of offense, 161 rushing and 175 passing. Omiri Wiggins recorded his second-straight 100-yard running game with a season-high 135 yards on 21 carries. His 65-yard touchdown run with 2:22 to play in the game sealed the win for the Cowboys.
 
Jake Strong completed 20 of 36 passes for 175 yards with no interceptions and was sacked only once. He also ran for 22 yards, the longest being a 27-yard scramble in the third quarter that helped set up a 31-yard Deaglan Camron field goal for the first score of the game.
 
McNeese had decent field position for much of the first half but was unable to sustain any drives. The Cowboys gained 130 yards through the first two quarters with a fumbled punt return that handed the ball over to the Huskies at the McNeese 31. The defense stepped up and forced HCU into the first of eight 3-and-out possessions in the game.
 
The Cowboys moved the ball better in the second half but was at a disadvantage with field position. Three times HCU punts downed the Cowboys back to their own 9-, 5-, and 3-yard-lines to start drives.
 
Starting at its own 9 with 9:01 to play in the third quarter, Strong's big 27-yard scramble moved the Cowboys out to the 40. Strong later connected on an 11-yard catch and run to Reed Boyd to get the ball to the HCU 36. A face mask penalty on HCU moved the ball to the 21 but the Cowboys were unable to advance closer than the 14 and had to settle for Deaglan's 31-yard field goal.
 
McNeese was able to flip the field despite starting at its own 3 when Strong completed a 28-yard pass to Kam Senegal then followed up with a 12-yard catch and run to CJ Deville to get the ball to the McNeese 46. A quick 5-yard pass to Ze'Land Young on 3rd-and-short to get the HCU 43. McNeese was held to a punt where George Dixon's placed one to the HCU 6 with 6:40 to play.
 
HCU, playing with third-string quarterback Reilly Garcia after starter Cutter Stewart left the game in the second series with an injury and backup Maddox Kopp was ineffective, moved the ball for a couple of first downs and to the Cowboys' 28 but Staten came up with his third sack of the game, forcing a fumble which was recovered by HCU at the 27, and another punt by the Huskies where the Cowboys started their drive at their own 27 with 3:28 to play.
 
After picking up eight yards on first down, Wiggins followed with a run to the left side and sprinted down the sideline, breaking several tackles as he crossed into the end zone for a touchdown and giving McNeese a 10-0 lead.
 
Next up, McNeese will play its final road game of the season next Saturday when it visits Southeastern Louisiana.
 
Postgame Notes:
• For the first time since 1998 that McNeese has not allowed a touchdown in back-to-back games.
• McNeese shutout HCU 27-0 last season in Lake Charles.
• With his three sacks, RJ Staten is the first Cowboy to record three in a game since Isaiah Chambers against UIW on Oct. 23, 2021.
• The five total sacks by the Cowboys are the most this season.
• The 70 rushing yards are the fewest allowed by McNeese this season and the fewest in conference play since allowing 7 by HCU in 2021.
• McNeese has won 4 of its last 5 conference games.