McNeese State's all-American tailback Toddrick Pendland returned to his old self Saturday night and quarterback Derrick Fourroux tied a school record as they led the Cowboys to a 63-42  victory over Sam Houston State in a Southland Conference game.

    It was the highest scoring game McNeese has been involved in. The previous high had come in the 2004 season between these same two teams, Sam Houston posting a 52-47 victory in a contest that  was played in Huntsville, TX.

    Pendland, who had seen only brief  action in the last two Cowboy games because of an injury, appeared to be all the way back as he ran for 171 yards on 20 carries and  scored four touchdowns.

    Fourroux ran for one touchdown and passed for another as he tied the McNeese career record of 90 for touchdowns passing and rushing.  He also came within one yard of the school career total offense record of 9,676 as he ran for 118 yards and completed eight of 16 passes for 190 yards.

    The victory sent the record of the 12th ranked Cowboys to 7-2 on the season and to 4-1 in league play.  The win also kept McNeese atop the league standings along with Southeastern Louisiana, Texas State and SFA, all also posting victories.

    The Cowboys had 608 total offense yards in the game and gave up 388 to Sam  Houston.

    McNeese held a 28-14 halftime lead and led 42-28 at the end of three quarters.

    McNeese got three touchdown runs from Pendland in the first half and a td pass from Fourroux.  Pendland appeared to be all the way back from injury on the Cowboys' first possession as he accounted for 50 of the 74 yards on the touchdown drive.  He finished it off by going over from 31 yards out.  Late in the first period, he produced his second td of the game but not before the Bearkats had posted two straight scores, mainly the work of their defense.

    Sam Houston came back with two straight scores set up by its defense.  The first a score following a pass interception by tackle Kevin Smith.  A pass from Fourroux had been batted by Chris Brown and was recovered by Smith.  The Bearkats scored in five plays, trafveling 40 yards with Chris Poullard going over from the one.  A 36 yard reception from Blake Joseph to Jason Madkins was the big play in the drive.

    The second, only 24 seconds later, came after Cowboy kickoff returner Bernardo Henry had coughed up the ball on the return. On the first play from scrimmage Joseph hit Chris Lucas for the 23 yard score.

    McNeese then scored the next three touchdowns to take a 28-14 halftime lead. Pendland went over from 14 yards and then from eight yards.  Fourroux hit Chad Davis with an eight yard score with only 3:44 left in the half.

    Both teams got two scores in the third quarter.  Richard Conner scored on a 43 yard end around run for the Cowboys and Pendland added a 23 yard td run.  Joseph connected with Jason Madkins on a 30 yard strike and hit Poullard with an eight yard shot.

    In the fourth frame, McNeese scored three times. Fourroux went over from eight yard, Conner scored on a nine yard end around and Champlain Babin came lup with a 76 yard run.  For Sam Houston, Joseph connected with Madkins on a 66 yard score and Torian Wilkins scored on a 10 yard run.

    For the game, Joseph completed 20 of 28 passes for 300 yards for Sam Houston and both Lucas and Madkins caught passes that accounted for over 100 yards, Lucas getting 112 on seven receptions and Madkins 142 on six.


(Score by Quarters)
Sam Houston State    14    0    14    14    --    42
McNeese State    14    14    14    21    --    63
M(1, 11:29) Toddrick Pendland, 31 run. Josh Lewis kick
SH (l, 6:30) Chris Poullard 1 run. Miquel Antonio kick
SH (1, 6:16) Chris Lucas, 23 pass from Blake Joseph. Antonio kick
M (1, 1:25) Toddrick Pendland, 14 run. Lewis kick
M (2, 8:03) Toddrick Pendland, 8 run. Lewis kick
M (2, 3:44) Chad Davis, 9 pass from Derrick Fourroux. Lewis kick
M (3, 13:17) Richard Conner, 43 run. Lewis kick
SH (3, 8:28) Jason Madkins, 30 pass from Blake Joseph. Antonio kick
M (3, 5:06) Toddrick Pendland, 23 run. Lewis kick
SH (3, 0:28) Chris Poullard, 8 pass from Blake Joseph. Antonio kick
M (4, 13:38) Derrick Fourroux, 8 run. Lewis kick
SH (4, 13:18) Jason Madkins, 66 pass from Blake Joseph.
M (4, 8:45) Richard Conner, 9 run. Lewis kick
M (4, 6:13) Champlain Babin, 76 run. Lewis kick
SH (4, 1:58) Torian Wilkins, 10 run. Antonio kick