NATCHITOCHES – After winning two close ones, the Northwestern State football team found itself on the wrong end of a lopsided score at halftime Saturday night, but characteristically the Demons rallied and put some heat on 20^th-ranked McNeese.
 
NSU scored three straight touchdowns, all Clay Holgorsen throws, coming down the stretch to strip a 34-point deficit down to 37-24 with 5:20 left. Then the Cowboys recovered an onside kick, converted successive third and fourth down tries, and posted the clinching score with 2:06 left to prevail 44-24.
 
The scenario was bleak walking into the Demon dressing room at halftime, trailing 30-3, having missed on two prime scoring chances including one that turned into a McNeese touchdown on an 85-yard fumble return.
 
But NSU's players didn't wilt. With remarks from seniors and coaches, the mood transformed to steely determination and it began to show in the third quarter.
 
"At halftime they made their minds up. 'We're gonna fight, we're going to try to get back into this ballgame,' and that's what we did," said head coach Jay Thomas. "The defense kept getting three-and-outs, the offense moved the ball, protected the ball and got it in the end zone. It gave us an opportunity near the end to put a little pressure on them, but unfortunately we didn't get the onside kick."
 
In the first half, NSU settled for field goal tries of 38 and 39 yards, not converting on the second one. The most costly error came on first-and-goal at the 9, bidding to tie the game at 10 late in the first period, when the Cowboys ripped the ball loose and returned it the distance to score.
 
"That was a big momentum swing," said Thomas. "They did a good job on it, they stripped it out before we were down. I was hoping a replay would show otherwise, but it didn't. Instead of possibly being tied at 10, we were down 17-3.
 
"We didn't convert on our scoring opportunities in the first half, and we committed turnovers. McNeese is good at creating turnovers, and they made them hurt."
 
Holgorsen got hot in the second half, completing 15 of 21 for 237 yards and touchdowns of 4, 1 and 30 yards. The last one, to his former junior college teammate Marquisian Chapman, pushed him past Bobby Hebert, a future Pro Bowl quarterback, on the Demons' single-game pass yardage list. Hebert had 364 in a 1980 win over Texas-Arlington. Holgorsen finished with 381 on 26 of 41 aim.
 
 "Great job by Clay. You're looking at the No. 1 defense in the country, and for Clay to be able to break that record against them, it's pretty impressive," said Thomas. "The offensive line did a great job protecting him and the receivers found space, and he found them."
 
Thomas was heartened by his team's ability to mount a comeback against one of the league's best teams.
 
"We took some big steps. We created plays," he said. "We blocked a field goal (Obinna Iheoma) early. We blocked a punt (Dez Gray) in the second half. We had our opportunities in the second half and nearly pulled off an amazing comeback."
 
Ultimately, the outcome was determined by excellent play by McNeese senior quarterback James Tabary, who went 17 of 28 for 285 yards and three scores.
 
"They were going to throw the ball on the perimeter and challenge our guys to make plays," said Thomas. "We were thin in the secondary, but we kept competing and the guys started playing better in the second half. Tabary made the plays under pressure they had to have and you tip your cap to him and that team."
 
With their two-game win streak scuttled, the Demons wrap up the 2017 campaign at home Saturday afternoon at 3 against another arch-rival, Stephen F. Austin. The teams since 1960 have played for the biggest trophy in sports, Chief Caddo, a 7-foot-6 wooden statue honoring the native American heritage of both universities.
 
The Demons won at home in 2015 and the Lumberjacks prevailed at SFA last year. As they left Louis Bonnette Field at Cowboy Stadium Saturday night, NSU players were already focusing on finishing in style.

"We can come out next Saturday and get the Chief back, and get it rolling into the offseason with three wins in our last four games," said Holgorsen, in his first year with NSU.
 
For four-year letterman Peyton Guidry, the game will be a defining moment as his college career closes.
 
"It's going to mean the world. Getting a victory, especially getting Chief Caddo back, in my last college game ever, with these guys, it will mean the world to me," he said. "We're going to have a great week of practice to make sure we get that victory."