Behind Deonta McMahon’s career night, the Cowboys offense lived up to some of its promise.

The senior running back became the first McNeese State player to rush for more than 200 yards since Justin Pratt had 206 against Lamar in 2019.

McMahon, the Southland Conference rushing leader, finished with his career-best 211 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. He is 28 yards shy of 1,000 for the season.

He also threw a 33-yard TD pass to freshman Jon McCall as the McNeese toppled Eastern Illinois 29-15 Saturday night at Cowboy Stadium in a nonconference game.

The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Cowboys (2-7).

“The whole offense opened up,” McMahon said. “The offensive line did a great job and I just hit the hole.”

Even with EIU (2-7) filling the box to stop the run, McMahon was able to find his way, running through, around and over Panthers defenders.

“We leaned on Deonta and he was hot,” said first-year McNeese head coach Gary Goff. “They did everything to sell out against the run and we still moved the ball.

“And Deonta, he is so electric. He is a dynamic player.”

McMahon also had three catches for 24 yards but he wanted to talk about his TD pass in the first quarter that gave McNeese a 10-0 lead.

“It was a great play,” McMahon said. “He was open and I had to hit him.”

For McCall it was his second consecutive game with a TD catch, but he wasn’t alone. Mason Pierce had a career high with 145 yards on eighth catches and 10 targets, including a 32-yard TD pass from backup quarterback Ryan Roberts.

Coming in for an injured Walker Wood in the first quarter, Roberts, a redshirt walk-on freshman, finished 13 of 20 for 177 yards and the one score. Wood was 4 of 5 for 58 yards before leaving with a knee injury.

“We knew Ryan has that in him,” McMahon said. “I felt great with him in there.”

Roberts hit Pierce for a 32-yard score midway through the second quarter after Eastern cut the lead to 10-7. But the Cowboys had the extra point blocked.

“For Walker to go down that early, and for Ryan to come in and the way he handled things, that’s something,” Goff said. “I’m extremely excited for these young men. They just keep showing up and coming to work.”

McMahon’s 3-yard TD run late in the third put McNeese up 26-7 and in complete control. It came after Accord Green blocked a Panthers field goal try.

The Cowboys finished with a season-best 510 yards of offense split close to the middle. McNeese ran for 242 yards and threw for 268.

Freshman kicker Garrison Smith connected on field goals of 40, 21 and 31 yards as he has hit six consecutive. His 21-yarder on the last play of the first half capped a 10 play, 65-yard drive that took 1:16 during the 2-minute drill and put McNeese up 19-7 at the break.

The Cowboys defense was led once again by linebacker Kordell Williams who finished with 14 tackles, giving him 102 on the season.

“Kordell is just all over the place for us,” Goff said.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Panthers of the Ohio Valley Conference.