Copeland, Incarnate Word beat McNeese St. 45-17

Oct 21, 2018, 08:25 am

SAN ANTONIO -- Jon Copeland threw three touchdown passes, including a pair to Phillip Baptiste, and ran for another score to help Incarnate Word beat McNeese State 45-17 on Saturday night.

Copeland was 24-of-41 passing for 236 yards with an interception and his 4-yard touchdown run gave UIW (4-3, 4-1 Southland Conference) a 28-3 lead with two minutes left in the first half.

Malick Phillips picked off a pass from James Tabary on the game's third play from scrimmage and six plays later Copeland hit Baptiste for a 20-yard touchdown. After a 14-play drive by McNeese State ended with Gunnar Raborn's 37-yard field goal, the Cardinals went 89 yards in 10 plays to make it 14-3 late in the first quarter. Coming in, the Cowboys had allowed just 14 first-quarter points this season.

Louis Otis intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a score to cap the scoring with 6:31 left.

McNeese (5-2, 4-1), which came in ranked No. 6 in both FCS polls, finished with just 222 total yards and committed four turnovers.

Incarnate Word is 1-4 all-time against the Cowboys.