NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State was unable to keep pace with a balanced offensive attack from visiting UIW on Saturday night, falling 38-3.
 
The Cardinals (4-6, 2-4) piled up more than 200 yards both rushing and passing, scoring touchdowns on four of their five first-half possessions to turn a fast start into a comfortable win.
 
"We continue to play hard and our kids keep fighting, evidenced in that last drive of the game where we ran the ball and got a few first downs," Blaine McCorkle said. "Looked up at the end there and see all those freshmen out there fighting it out. I was very proud of that. Our defense played well in moments and had a few other moments during the game, but we still have to tackle better. Still trying to knock people down with our shoulders instead of throwing your chest on there and wrapping up."
 
After missing the past three weeks due to injury, senior receiver Ty Moore provided an early spark with a 56-yard reception on the second drive of the game that set the Demons up at the UIW 2-yard line.
 
Moore had two catches on the day, his other converting a 3rd-and-20 for a first down with a 28-yard grab, for a career-best 71 yards.
 
"I appreciated what he did today," McCorkle said. "He loves this team as much as anybody. It was good to have him back. Great to have him and Myion Hicks, a couple of older guys back. He found some hard yards and was able to grind out a couple of first downs for us."
 
The big play, though did not turn into all the points the Demons were looking for on the drive. A pair of negative plays led to a 28-yard Grayson Lytton field goal cutting the deficit to four instead of tying the game.
 
"The last few weeks we've gotten ourselves down there close and not been able to put the ball in the end zone," McCorkle said. "We've tried to approach that a couple of different ways in style of play but when you get down there the game definitely changes. 
 
"Regardless of how you lighten or load the box the game gets really physical and that's where we're getting exposed a little bit with size and strength. We have to keep working and trying to find answers because we're getting down there and not coming away with points and we can't do that."
 
The defensive stand injected more momentum into the Cardinal sideline after a first-possession touchdown on a 6-yard pass to Jalen Walthall. They got their second score of the day five plays after the Demon field goal, picking up 47 yards on two more Walthall catches plus a Demon penalty.
 
The star UIW receiver got his second score of the game on the Cardinal's next drive, after forcing a Demon punt, going untouched on a 46-yard catch-and-run on a bubble screen that made it a 21-3 game midway through the second quarter.
 
He finished the game with nine grabs for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback E.J. Colson finished 22-for-28 passing for 263 yards.
 
Running back Timothy Carter added 141 rushing yards and two scores, including a 68-yard burst in the third quarter that capped a quick, two-play scoring drive that followed a Demon punt.
 
The Demons moved the ball effectively at times, rushing for 68 yards in the fourth quarter alone that included eight carries and 34 yards from redshirt freshman running back Jeremiah James.
 
He and Hicks combined for 80 of NSU's 100 rushing yards on the day.
 
NSU held the ball for the final eight minutes of the game with a 13-play drive that covered 65 yards.
 
The Demons make their final road trip of the season next weekend when they travel to Nicholls for a 3 p.m. kickoff.