Box Score NATCHITOCHES – The adversity faced in the last few weeks by the Northwestern State football team's Purple Swarm defense may have gradually created an advantage for the Demons.
 
NSU (5-5 overall, 3-3 in the Southland Conference) smothered a prolific Abilene Christian attack Saturday in a 34-10 road win. The Wildcats had scored no less than 20 points in any previous game, including two FBS contests, one a 38-35 win at Troy. They lit up Central Arkansas in a 52-35 victory a week before the Demons came to Abilene.
 
But ACU (5-6 overall, 3-4 in the Southland) trailed 20-0 at halftime and after mounting consecutive scoring drives to open the third quarter, was blanked by a defense which seemed decimated by injuries in losses at Central Arkansas (58-35) and McNeese (35-28). The Purple Swarm had shut out McNeese in the second half, which turned out to be a foreshadowing of a quality 60-minute outing on a windy afternoon in west Texas.
 
"Our defense played really well," said Demons' coach Jay Thomas after watching game tape on Sunday. "We have a lot of young guys who have been playing over the last 3-4-5 weeks out of necessity, and they've gotten better each week, which is helping our team defense. We don't have a great deal of depth but we have a very good number of guys playing their best.
 
"Our tackling was really good and we played very physical. Getting the turnovers, and getting some early, was a big lift. Having Imoan (Claiborne) back helped, and he made a big-time play on his interception."
 
The highly-regarded senior cornerback had missed the last six quarters with an injury sustained at UCA, but his diving pickoff at the NSU 23 halted a Wildcats' threat to get on the scoreboard just before halftime. It also triggered a 2:09-long, 70-yard drive for a field goal that ended the half.
 
It was one of three interceptions, along with two fumble recoveries, picked up by NSU against a foe ranking second nationally with a plus-12 turnover margin.  Senior linebacker Tyler Roussel had the first pick and forced a fumble on the goalline that the game's leading tackler, senior linebacker Marion Chapman, recovered in the end zone early in the fourth period to preserve a 27-10 advantage and effectively seal the outcome.
 
After the Wildcats staged their second-half rally to get within 20-10, the Demons drove 64 yards to pad their advantage on the second of three Garrett Atzenweiler touchdowns, a 10-yard pass from Zach Adkins.
 
"We answered when we needed to answer and regained control," said Thomas. "It was the offense helping out the defense which is what you've got to have to win."
 
Adkins and junior receiver Ed Eagan stole the show. Adkins went 28-of-39 for 238 yards, hitting 22 of 29 in the first half when Eagan collected 10 of his school record-tying 13 receptions.
 
"We had to take advantage of what the defense was giving us," said Thomas. "It turns into a long handoff, throwing it out there to one of our best guys, getting 5-7 yards on first down. Then you have the whole playbook on second down. As you're going through the game, you don't realize the number of catches he has but when you look back on that number, it's a pretty special deal.
 
"We played pitch and catch on the outside really well. Their defensive line was big, hard to move, and we needed to make it an east-west game to be able to open up some run seams inside later in the day. We did that," said Thomas.
 
The Demons posted 187 rushing yards and 425 total, not turning it over offensively. ACU successfully pulled off an onsides kick on the game's first play for NSU's only turnover.
 
Winning on the road for the third time this season, and the first time in a Southland game since 2012, was gratifying, especially in the wake of the two straight losses to Central Arkansas and McNeese.
 
"Those games were gut punches. We were trading blows with UCA but the injuries and some tough breaks against a quality opponent on the road wound up being too much for us to overcome. Then we laid everything we had out there against McNeese in one of the great rivalry games in the conference year after year, and nearly pulled it out. Our gas tank could have been close to empty going out there Saturday," said Thomas.
 
"But our guys realized the challenge we had at Abilene, and responded," he said. "I'm proud of them. Now we play two very meaningful games, more so now because we're still alive for the (FCS) playoffs."
 
The Demons tee it up for the last time this year in Turpin Stadium Saturday evening at 6 against Nicholls State, a winless foe who had an open date last week.
 
"It's our last home game. We have senior night, a shot at the playoffs still, the N-S-U Challenge trophy, in fact, trophy games in our last two games against nearby rivals (finishing Nov. 22 at Stephen F. Austin in the annual 'Battle for Chief Caddo'). There's a lot at stake.
 
"You bite down hard on the bit now," he said. "This team is tough. I like taking the field with them."