THIBODAUX, La. — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Pat McQuaide played a crucial role in leading Nicholls to a 24-19 victory over McNeese. His performance included a key go-ahead touchdown followed by another in the final quarter that solidified the Colonels’ win.

McQuaide completed a remarkable 13-play drive, finishing it off with a one-yard touchdown run with just eight minutes left on the clock to put Nicholls ahead 24-13. This pivotal score proved essential when, shortly after, Nicholls faced a challenging situation. A punt from the Colonels inadvertently hit one of their own blockers, allowing McNeese to recover the ball at the Nicholls 28-yard line. The Cowboys quickly capitalized on the opportunity, scoring a touchdown on a 2-yard run by Bryce Strong to narrow the gap to five points with less than three minutes remaining.

As Nicholls was forced to punt again, McNeese found itself starting its final drive from the 21-yard line with just 20 seconds remaining. However, a critical interception thrown by Kamden Sixkiller sealed the fate for the Cowboys, allowing the Colonels to run down the clock and secure their victory.

Earlier in the game, Nicholls had fallen behind by eight points before star running back Miequle Brock burst 66 yards for a touchdown. Shortly thereafter, McQuaide connected with Collin Guggenheim on a 39-yard touchdown catch-and-run, giving Nicholls a 14-10 lead just before halftime.

Brock finished the night with an impressive 101 rushing yards on just nine carries, while McQuaide completed 18 of 34 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Terry Matthews contributed significantly to the offense with eight receptions totaling 94 yards.

For McNeese, Joshon Barbie stood out with a 69-yard touchdown run and concluded the game with 121 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Sixkiller struggled at times, completing 22 of 40 passes for 233 yards with one interception as the Cowboys fell to 4-5 overall, and 1-3 in Southland Conference play.