NATCHITOCHES, La. – Lamar University had three attempts from inside the Northwestern State one-yard line attempting to take a 17-0 lead, but Northwestern State mounted a goal-line stand which proved to be the key play in the game. Northwestern State would respond by driving the ball down the field and scoring their first touchdown down of the day. The Demons rattled off 28-unaswered points and never looked back defeating LU, 35-27, Saturday afternoon at Turpin Stadium.
 
The Cardinals (0-3/0-1 Southland) finished the day with 394 yards – including 302 through the air. Junior Nick Yockey recorded his first career start and completing 19-of-39 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Mike Chandler came on in the fourth and looked strong completing 6-of-10 for 77 yards and one touchdown.
 
Senior Jalen Dummett led the Cardinals with 11 receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. Damashja Harris led the Cardinals' ground attack with 11 carries for 14 yards.
 
Ramond Stevens, Tyler Jackson and Caleb Arnold led the defense with seven tackles, while Kristian Pugh and Samuel Scaife IV each recorded an interception.
 
Northwestern State finished the night with 545 yards of offense, after recording just 83 in the first quarter. NSU did the majority of its damage through the air with 366 yards and three touchdowns. NSU quarterback Zachary Clement completed 28-of-49 passes for 366 yards.
 
The Cardinals wasted no time jumping out to an early lead. Yockey drove the Cardinals down the field 77 yards on nine plays to connect with Dummett from eight yards out on the first drive of the game. Big Red's defense held on their first two opportunities by recording a stop on downs and then picking off a pass at midfield.
 
The interception set up a Chris Esqueda 33-yard field goal to give LU a 10-point lead with 51 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
 
Big Red appeared to be moving the ball toward their third score of the game moving the ball inside the five-yard line. The Cardinals had three cracks at the end zone from inside the Northwestern State one, but the Demons forced the turnover on downs and their offense took the momentum from the stop and drove the ball down the field to score pulling within 3, 10-7. The goal-line stand was the key play of the game as the Demons would respond by rattling off 28 unaswered points.
 
Northwestern State's defense came up with another stop on downs and the Demons' offense responded with an 11-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Clement to Javon Antonio. The score gave the Demons their first lead of the game, 14-10. Northwestern State tacked on another score before halftime to take a 21-10 into the locker room.
 
The Cardinals finished the half with 143 yards, but the majority of that came in the opening quarter. On the flip side, the Demons finished the half with 340 yards of offense (257 yards in the second quarter), with 250 through the air. In fact, the Demons didn't even attempt a rush until midway through the quarter.
 
NSU made it a 35-13 lead in the second half, when the Cardinals mounted a rally. Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Yockey hit Nederland freshman Kyndon Fuselier from eight yards out for his first touchdown reception of his career. The score trimmed the Demons' lead to 15. Attempting to seize on the momentum, LU went for the onsides kick and recovered the ball, but Northwestern's defense held to force a punt.
 
The Cardinals got the ball back late in the game and Mike Chandler (who came in for an injured Yockey) and drove the team down the field (12 plays, 80 yards) in a drive that ended with a 16-yard pass from Chandler to Major Bowden.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they host Houston Christian. The game against the newly named Huskies will kick off at 3 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium.