THE OFFICIAL HOME OF McNEESE ATHLETICS

LAKE CHARLES - Alejandro De La Poza kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give 4th-ranked Tarleton State a 27-24 win over McNeese Saturday night.
 
The game-winner came after another 24-yarder with 12:10 to play in the fourth quarter that evened the game up 24-24 after McNeese scored 17 third quarter points to grab a 24-21 lead at the end of the third.
 
McNeese fell to 1-2 with the loss and will return to Southland Conference action next week at UTRGV while Tarleton State, who entered the game as the highest-ranked home opponent for McNeese since the 2013 season, improved to 3-0.
 
Cowboys' quarterback Devin Lippold posted his second-straight strong outing, throwing for a career-high 286 yards and two touchdowns on 27 of 45 passing while rushing for another 65, ending with 351 total offensive yards. His 27 completions where the fifth-most in a game in school history while the 45 attempts were the sixth-most in a game.
 
He targeted seven different players, hitting Smiley Edwards eight times for 111 yards. Curtis Deville caught five passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Overall, the Cowboys rolled up 495 yards of total offense with 209 coming on the ground. Omiri Wiggins led the way with 81 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown.
 
The Texans finished with 509 yards, 146 rushing and 363 passing. Quarterback Kaden Anderson completed 28 of 48 passes for all 363 yards. Marquis Willis caught 10 passes for 166 yards, and on the ground, Tylan Hines, the FCS's top rusher, picked up 141 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns.
 
McNeese opened the game with a 97-yard scoring drive on 12 plays, ending with a 13-yard score to put the Cowboys up 7-0 with 7:59 to play in the first. Tarleton answered on the ensuing possession when Anderson scrambled in the end zone from eight yards out to tie things up 7-7 with 3:31 to play in the quarter.
 
A 13-yard rushing TD by Hines gave Tarleton State a 14-7 lead with 12:45 to play in the second and took that lead into the half.
 
McNeese dominated the third quarter, starting with a 6-yard TD catch by Deville to tie things 14-14 with 7:33 to play. Hines then scored on a 46-yard run with 6:17 to play in the quarter to give TSU a 21-14 lead. McNeese quickly answered when Lippold hit Deville on sideline pass who then sprinted 47-yards for the score to knot things up 21-21 at the 4:40 mark.
 
The Cowboys' defense held Tarleton to their second punt of the quarter and responded by taking a 24-21 after Deaglan Camron split the uprights on a 37-yard field goal and taking the lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Tarleton came up big early in the fourth after McNeese punter George Dixon pinned the Texans inside the 1-yard line. Facing a third-and-27 at its own 20, Anderson completed a 37-yard pass to Willis to keep the drive alive and eventually leading to a game-tying field goal early in the fourth.
 
Scoring Summary:
1st McN 7:59 - Omiri Wiggins 13-yard rush (Deaglan Camron kick). 12 plays, 97 yards, 5:52. McN 7-0.
1st TSU 3:31 - Kaden Anderson 8-yard rush (Alejandro De La Poza kick). 12 plays, 75 yards, 4:28. Tied 7-7.
2nd TSU 12:45 - Tylan Hines 13-yard rush (De La Poza kick). 6 plays, 84 yards, 2:29. TSU 14-7.
3rd McN 7:33 - CJ Deville 7-yard pass from Devin Lippold (Camron kick). 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:33. Tied 14-14.
3rd TSU 6:17 - Hines 54-yard rush (De La Poza kick). 4 plays, 55 yards, 1:07. TSU 21-14.
3rd McN 4:40 - Deville 47-yard pass from Lippold (Camron kick). 4 plays, 85 yards, 1:30. Tied 21-21.
3rd McN 0:16 - Camron 37-yard field goal. 6 plays, 59 yards, 2:25. McN 24-21.
4th TSU 12:10 - De La Poza 24-yard field goal. 10 play, 66 yards, 2:59. Tied 24-24.
4th TSU 0:00 - De La Poza 24-yard field goal. 16 plays, 80 yards, 3:48. TSU 27-24.