Tarleton State builds big lead, hangs on to edge McNeese 26-23 in wild opener

STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- , Kayvon Britten rushed for 164 yards and Victor Gabalis passed for 140 yards and a touchdown, leading Tarleton State to a 26-23 victory over McNeese in a nail-biting season-opener on Saturday. After leading 26-7 at halftime, the Texans managed 19 yards on four possessions in the third quarter and a 63-yard drive in the fourth ended with a missed field goal. Meanwhile, McNeese scored on a 7-yard run by D'Angelo Durham early in the fourth quarter and Tarleton’s lead was 26-23 after an 80-yard touchdown pass from the Cowboys' Clifton McDowell to Matthew McCallister . The Cowboys would have one last chance to take the lead, taking possession at their own 11 with 2:56 remaining. McDowell had completions of 23 and 22 yards and ran for another 11, leading McNeese to the Tarleton 27-yard line with 10 seconds left.