LAKE CHARLES – Northwestern State is coming off its best performance of the season and might need an even better one to topple unbeaten arch-rival McNeese State Saturday night in a Southland Conference football contest.

The Demons came off an open date a different team, whipping a good Lamar club 48-35 last Saturday at Homecoming. McNeese pulled off a second-half comeback on the road at Central Arkansas to emerge with sole possession of the Southland lead after a 28-13 triumph over the Bears.

Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Cowboy Stadium as the Demons (1-5 overall, 1-3 in the Southland) take on the Cowboys (6-0, 5-0), ranked 12^th in the STATS FCS Top 25 and ninth in the coaches' poll.

NSU fans are invited to an NSU Alumni Association tailgating party at the McNeese Alumni Center (600 E. McNeese St, Lake Charles, 70607) beginning at 3 p.m.

The game is being televised by Cox Sports and on ESPN3 in markets not served by CST. It's also at ESPN College Extra (792 on DirecTV, 618 on AT&T Uvers, 325 on Verizon Fios). NSU alumnus Lyn Rollins teams with Rene Nadeu to provide the TV commentary.

The NSU-McNeese game broadcast will be on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches and including 710 AM KEEL in Shreveport, 105.5 FM KBKK in Alexandria and 103.1 KWLA in Many/Leesville. A free audio stream is available through NSUDemons.com with Patrick Netherton and Tony Taglavore on the call.

In its last two Southland games, NSU is averaging 463 yards, 6.2 yards per play, and 39.5 points. The Demons have rushed for a 262-yard average, 5.7 per carry.

For the first time this year, in the win over Lamar, the Demons had more explosive plays of 20 yards or more from scrimmage (7) than the opponent did (6). For the second straight game, NSU scored on its opening possession and quickly built a double-digit lead.

After getting sacked 17 times in a demanding four-game opening stretch, NSU quarterbacks have been trapped only twice in two October games.

That progress will be tested by a McNeese defense ranked No. 1 in FCS in scoring defense, allowing only 7.8 points per game. The Cowboys are No. 2 in rushing defense, allowing just 68.5 yards per game, and are third in total defense (255.3 yards allowed).

NSU's running game is led by junior De'Mard Llorens, who is averaging 67 yards per game and has scored at least once in each of the past four games. Senior quarterback Stephen Rivers got his second start of the season, and first since Sept. 3, against Lamar and responded by going 15 of 21 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. All-America receiver Ed Eagan is again NSU's top target, with 25 catches for 292 yards this year and a school record 144 in his career.

Eagan last year set the Demons' single-game record for receiving yards when he collected 238 on 10 catches against the Cowboys in a 35-28 loss.

Top tacklers on the Demon defense are senior linebacker Jacob Merriman (46), senior safety Chase Collins (45), junior safety Darius Poullard (43) and senior end Leroy Armstrong (33).

After an open date shift to an attacking 3-3-5 defensive scheme, NSU notched two sacks against Lamar after the Cardinals allowed only one in their first five games.

The Demons hope to come up with McNeese mistakes. NSU has produced only six turnovers this season, the last a fumble by Lamar that junior safety Adam Jones returned a school-record 95 yards for a clinching fourth-quarter score.

After playing at McNeese, the Demons go to Nicholls on Halloween afternoon for a 3 p.m. game. The Demons play two of their three November games at home, Nov. 7 against Abilene Christian and Nov. 21 against Stephen F. Austin.