NATCHITOCHES, La. — In a commanding performance, Joshon Barbie rushed for 139 yards and snagged a trick-play touchdown from freshman receiver Jamaal Levi, leading McNeese to a decisive 35-3 win over Northwestern State on Saturday. This defeat marked the 24th consecutive loss for the Demons, a streak that has plagued the team.
The excitement in the game was largely absent until McNeese broke the deadlock with 11:57 remaining in the second quarter. Coleby Hamm pushed through the end zone from two yards out to score, putting McNeese up 7-0. Northwestern State (0-11, 0-6) managed a response with Reed Honshtein converting a 25-yard field goal, but McNeese’s Alex Flores then orchestrated a remarkable 13-play, 91-yard drive, capping it with a two-yard touchdown pass to Logan Mauldin just 29 seconds before halftime. This boosted the Cowboys’ lead to 14-3 by the break.
As the game progressed, McNeese extended its lead further to 21-3 with Bryce Strong finding the end zone on a 16-yard run. This pivotal play came just after the Cowboys benefited from an interception by Caesar Magee III off JT Fayard, positioning McNeese at the Demons’ 27-yard line. Subsequently, Levi connected with Barbie for a 25-yard touchdown pass, solidifying a 28-3 lead heading into the final quarter.
Strong contributed to the score once more, sealing the game with a 1-yard touchdown sprint with just 1:53 left. He accounted for an impressive 106 yards on nine carries as the Cowboys amassed a formidable total of 314 rushing yards throughout the contest. In stark contrast, Northwestern State struggled, recording only 61 yards on the ground along with 96 yards in the air.
The Demons’ woes have continued since the ending of the previous season, where they lost their last two games, faced six defeats in the current season, and then conceded five additional forfeitures following a tragic event and the exit of head coach Brad Laird. Their most recent victory occurred on November 5, 2022, when they triumphed 41-14 against Texas A&M-Commerce, which is now known as East Texas A&M.