Stephen F. Austin
McNeese St*
McNeese State Comes Back To Defeat Jacks
11/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov 8, 2003
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) - Chris Thomas rushed for a game-winning touchdown as McNeese State scored 13 unanswered second half points to defeat Stephen F. Austin 20-17 on Saturday night.
Thomas' winning 1-yard score came with 1:54 left in the game. The Cowboys began their drive on their own 34. A 24-yard pass to B.J. Sams and a pass interference call on Stephen F. Austin on fourth and five kept the drive going.
The Cowboys (8-1, 3-0 Southland Conference) trailed the Lumberjacks (5-4, 2-1) 17-7 at the end of the first half.
John Marino booted field goals of 24 and 20 yards in the second half for McNeese.
The Cowboys' only score in the first half came on a 1-yard run by Luke Lawton.
Stephen F. Austin got all of its scoring in the first half, tallying on a blocked punt recovery in the end zone by Vernon Holman, on a 10-yard pass from Michael Williams to Chance Dennis and on a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Rossner.
Both teams wasted several opportunities to score in the game with each team committing a turnover inside the opponents' five yard line.
SFA's Jamaal Cato picked off a Scott Pendarvis pass inside the SFA five yard line early in the third quarter and returned it 91-yards to the McNeese State 4-yard line where he was tackled out of bounds. Following a personal foul penalty that game SFA a first and goal from the one yard line, freshman fullback Michael Motte fumbled as he stretched for the goal line. That was as close as the 'Jacks could get to scoring in the second half as the McNeese State defense controlled the 'Jacks, holding them to only 19 offensive snaps in the second half.
The Lumberjack defense was tough in the second half holding McNeese State to a pair of field goals to cut the SFA lead to 17-13 before the Cowboys finally struck with less than two minutes to play. SFA picked off another Pendarvis pass on a fourth down play that would have all but iced the win, only to have the play called back on an interference penalty.
SFA returns to action Saturday, at home, against Nicholls State.
