SAN ANTONIO- Sophomore Cameron Ward threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns as the UIW Cardinals defeated the McNeese Cowboys 31-0 on Saturday afternoon. UIW improved to 1-0 in Southland Conference play.
 
Kevin Brown rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown, and McNeese transfer Trevor Begue stepped up with over 100 yards and a touchdown as well.  
 
UIW opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a Kevin Brown 14-yard run. On the following kickoff McNeese failed to recover the ball and the Cardinals recovered. That set up a TD pass from Ward to Taylor Grimes to give the Cardinals a 14-0 lead early. Late in the second quarter Ward rolled out to his right and connected with Trevor Begue for a 56-yard TD to extend the Cardinals' lead to 21-0 heading into halftime.
 
In the third quarter Ward found Grimes again for an 11-yard score to put the Cardinals ahead 28-0.
 
A fourth quarter field goal by Carson Mohr finished a dominant day on both sides of the ball for UIW.
 
The Cardinal defense shutdown the Cowboy offense for all 60 minutes, earning their first shutout in Divison I program history. Senior Kelechi Anyalebechi led the defense with 10 total tackles. The defense pressured McNeese quarterback Cody Orgeron all game long, compiling three sacks. Rashon Davis picked off Orgeron in the third quarter. The Cardinals also held McNeese to just 2 for 14 on third down conversions in the game.
 
The Cardinals will hit the road to take on Northwestern State next Saturday, October 2 at 6 p.m. CT.

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