THE OFFICIAL HOME OF McNEESE ATHLETICS

LAKE CHARLES - McNeese started Saturday's season opener against 13th-ranked Stephen F. Austin driving 75 yards in five plays and ending with a 45-yard touchdown pass by Jake Strong to Elisha Edwards.
 
SFA then scored 31 unanswered points and held off a McNeese rally to win 38-27 in front of 10,680 at Navarre Stadium.
 
McNeese running back Omiri Wiggins made his McNeese debut by rushing for 126 yards on 12 carries with a 75-yard touchdown while averaging 10.5 yards per carry.
 
SFA tied things up 7-7 on the ensuing possession following the Cowboys' score, then added a 31-yard field goal by Carlos Alvarado to put it up 10-7 with 5:59 to play in the first quarter. That score was set up after a Strong fumble at the McNeese 20.
 
The two teams traded punts then the Lumberjacks took a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 1-yard run Jaylen Jenkins.
 
A crucial targeting call against McNeese defensive end Royce Maloles on a quarterback sack that forced the ball loose and the Cowboys recovering, kept the possession with the Lumberjacks. Cohen Charles ended that drive with his first career interception at the SFA 1. Five plays later, Strong was picked off by Makai Frisby who returned it 35 yards for a touchdown and putting SFA up 24-7 with 5:27 to play in the second quarter.
 
Strong, completed 9 of 14 passes for 90 yards with a touchdown and interception in the first half but missed the second half after he suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter.
 
SFA scored on its opening drive of the second half to go up 31-7 before Wiggins blasted through the line and sprinted away from the field for a 75-yard jaunt to cut the lead to 31-13.
 
Devin Lippold played the entire second half and threw for 118 yards on 10 of 18 passing with a touchdown and interception. He also ran for 40 yards and a score.
 
Lippold connected with Wiggins on a 7-yard pass to make it a 38-20 score then four minutes later, scored on a keeper from 1-yard out to pull McNeese to within 38-27 with 8:37 to play.
 
McNeese got the ball back after SFA's Alvarado missed a 30-yard field goal with 3:44 to play. Lippold drove the Cowboys to the SFA 41 after hitting Kam Senegal for 22 yards then a 7-yard run go the Cowboys into the Lumberjack territory. But the Cowboys would end up turning the ball over on downs. SFA was able to
 
SFA got a 300-yard passing game from Gavin Rutherford who completed 18 of 29 passes for 302 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He targeted and connected with 11 different receivers.
 
Curtis Deville led seven Cowboy receivers with four catches and 71 yards including a 41-yard target.
 
Defensive end RJ Staten filled in for Maloles after his targeting call forced a second half ejection and finished with a game-high two tackles for a loss and seven tackles.
 
McNeese will continue its three-game home stand next Saturday when it hosts Texas Wesleyan at 6 o'clock.