LAKE CHARLES — LAKE CHARLES -- Believe it or not, Lamar probably robbed itself of winning its first game in 21 years without even realizing it.

    The frisky Cardinals defenders knocked out McNeese starting tailback Champlain Babin with a concussion during Saturday night’s first quarter. That forced the Cowboys to replace Babin with freshman backup Marcus Wiltz and Lamar struggled to stop him all night long.

    Yet any red-shirted fan had to proudly appreciate these relentless Cardinals for battling back countless times before falling 30-27 to the defending Southland Conference champion Cowboys on their own turf.

    Cowboy Stadium’s largest crowd in eight years -- 19,235 -- saw West Orange-Stark junior quarterback Andre Bevil set a new LU single-game record for passing yards.

    Bevil completed 24 of 41 for 426 yards and three touchdowns as Lamar led 7-3, 10-3, and battled their red and white feathers off in coach Ray Woodard’s first game as Big Red’s boss.

    McNeese had a very unexpected answer for LU, though. A tiny town of Cecilia produced a freshman named Wiltz who never expected to play. The slithery No. 3 in the blue jersey jabbed away at Lamar’s mid-section for 182 yards on 26 carries to bail out MSU coach Matt Viator’s scary night at the office.

    “I knew Lamar had good players,” the relieved McNeese coach said. “They have good coaches and we knew they would have a great plan. But we didn’t have a clue what they would do….

    “I was impressed with them, especially the quarterback and their wide-outs. It’s one of those games you’re scared to death about.”

    Babin sustained a concussion midway into the opening quarter forcing Viator and McNeese to use their backup tailback. That arguably was the difference in the game.

    “Maybe we shouldn’t have knocked that starter out,” LU head coach Woodard mused. “We played good, but if we had played great, we’d have won. I was most proud of our composure. Every time we got down, we came back.”

    Bevil connected on scoring tosses to three separate receivers. Marcus Jackson grabbed three passes for 123 yards and a 26-yard, first-quarter TD. Josh Powdrill snagged four catches for 120 yards, including a 12-yard scoring pass at the start of the final period.

    Bevil’s scoring pass to Powdrill trimmed McNeese’s lead to 23-20 with 14:54 to play. McNeese answered with a clutch, 75-yard, nine-play touchdown drive to regain a 30-20 edge with 4:59 to go.

    But the LU passer and his offensive mates refused to surrender even then.

    J.J. Hayes caught more balls than anyone -- 9 for 90. The LU split end leaped for Bevil’s lob on a four-yard scoring pass with 3:23 to play. Freshman Justin Stout sliced MSU’s advantage to 30-27, the eventual final score.

    Woodard opted to have Stout attempt an onside kick on the next play. McNeese secured possession of it and used up the rest of the clock.

    Lamar’s quick-strike capability always caused McNeese to stay on its toes, but the alert Pokes picked off Bevil twice in the first half, helping the hosts to lead 16-10 at intermission.

    Texas City’s Brandon Robinson intercepted Bevil twice for McNeese. He scooted 32 yards with the runback, setting up McNeese’s first score — a 37-yard field goal by Josh Lewis.

    When Bevil underthrew Powdrill, Robinson broke on the ball perfectly for a pickoff.  Lewis followed with a 37-yard field goal, giving McNeese the lead for good, 13-10 with 4:14 left in the first half.

    Bevil was not in awe of the occasion. He felt he could have done much better. Yet the previous all-time Lamar single-game mark for most passing yards was 412 by Shad Smith in 1987.

    “It has sunk in (to break LU’s record) but I’m going to try to shatter that next week,” Bevil said. “I thought we were sharp but we had a few mental mistakes.”

    Johnathan Ekpe felt the Cardinals “made a lot of people in the Golden Triangle very proud.”

    “I think we tired out a little bit, in the second half,” Ekpe said. “I don’t really know how to explain because a lot of people were counting us as big underdogs in this game. We had them right where we wanted them. I promise you this. When they come to our place, Lamar will be victorious.”

    For now, the Cardinals need to settle for being victorious next Saturday when they host Florida-based NAIA school Webber International (2-0) in Beaumont’s Provost Umphrey Stadium at 6 p.m.