In a two-minute, 17-second span at the end of the first half, McNeese turned its Southland Conference showdown with Sam Houston from a shutout to a victory as the Cowboys handed the Kats their first loss in seven games 27-10 in Lake Charles, La.
The win clinched at least a tie for the 2015 Southland Conference championship as the Cowboys upped their season record to 9-0 and their league mark to 8-0. Fifth-ranked McNeese completes its season in two weeks against Lamar after an open date.
Up 10-0 with the ball at the McNeese 36-yard line, Sam Houston saw a fourth-and-one attempt denied. In the next two minutes, the Cowboys put 14 points on the board. McNeese added 13 more points to their total while shutting out Sam Houston in the third and fourth quarter to complete the win.
Sam Houston stands 6-3 for the year and 5-2 in Southland Conference play to stand third in the league standings behind first place McNeese and second place Central Arkansas. The Kats will face off with the Bears in two weeks in Conway in the regular season finale for both squads.
McNeese dominated the statistics in the contest.
The Cowboys outgained Sam Houston 473 total yards to 380 and had 37:34 of possession time compared to the Kats' 22:26. The Bearkats were four of 15 on third down conversion attempts and failed to convert three fourth down tries.
Quarterback Daniel Sams rushed 23 times for 164 yards including a 64-yard touchdown and passed for 168 more.
Mistakes hurt Sam Houston as well with 11 penalties for 136 yards and two fumble losses.
In the game's opening drive, McNeese appeared to be headed for a touchdown, moving 67 yards in 10 plays. The Bearkats' Darion Flowers picked off a pass and dashed up the right sideline, then cutting back to the middle for a 90-yard interception return for Sam Houston's only touchdown of the contest.
The return ties as the second longest in Sam Houston history. Bookie Sneed's 92-yard interception for a touchdown in a victory over SFA in Houston is the record holder. Paul Wenzel originally set the record with a 90-yard return for a score in a Lone Star Conference game with Sul Ross in 1968.
A 53-yard pass from Johnson to Gerald Thomas to the Cowboy 21-yard line set up a 20-yard field goal by Tre Honshstein after a seven-play 45-yards drive to give the Kats a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final 1:40 of the opening half.
First, Daniel Sams put the Cowboys on the board with a 64-yard run on a quarterback draw. McNeese got the ball back with 1:10 remaining in the second quarter and drove 70 yards in eight plays for a six-yard scoring pass from Sams to Shelby Kent to give the Cowboys a 14-10 lead at intermission. Four penalties for 43 yards handicapped the Kats during the go-ahead drive.
A 23-yard field goal by Jean Breaux with 3:48 to play in the third extended the Cowboy lead to 17-10. The big play in the 11-play, 81-yard drive came on a 31-yard run by Sams to the Bearkat 29-yard line.
After a 21-yard punt return by David Bush and a Sams to Kent 29-yard pass to the Bearkat 22, the Cowboys appeared ready to put the game away with a second-and-goal at the one. Stops by Kevon Hunter, P. J Hall and Trenier Orr powered a goal-line stand.
But Sam Houston couldn't take advantage of the opportunity. After a punt, a 54-yard Cowboy drive resulted in a 27-yard Breaux field goal with 5:20 to play. Ryan Ross added a 20-yard touchdown after a fumbled kickoff return.
Cory Avery led the Bearkat offense with 22 rushes for 107 yards.
Sam Houston wraps up its 2015 home schedule by hosting Northwestern State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on Letter-Winners Day at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium.
