HUNTSVILLE ? Todd Pendland rushed 24 times for 194 yards including touchdowns of 3, 68 and 12 yards to lead No. 12 ranked McNeese State to a 28-17 Southland Conference victory over Sam Houston State Saturday at Bearkat Homecoming at Bowers Stadium.

            Bearkat quarterback Rhett Bomar completed 18 of 39 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns to lead Sam Houston State.

            Down 14-3 at halftime, Bomar hit Chris Lucas for an 80-yard touchdown with 8:12 to go in the third quarter to cut the McNeese State margin to 14-10.

            After a blocked field goal, Sam Houston appeared ready to rally again when Jeremy Haynes picked off a Bomar pass at the Sam Houston 45 yard line and raced in for a touchdown to put McNeese back out in front 21-10.

            Bomar threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Trey Payne with 18 seconds to play.

            Derrick Fourroux hit 10 of 17 for 96 yards passing for McNeese State.

            McNeese State upped its season record to 4-2. The Cowboys are 1-1 in Southland Conference action.

            Sam Houston State dropped to 2-3 for the year and 0-2 in league play.