THIBODAUX, La. (AP) Julien Gums rushed for 110 yards and scored the winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter to lift Nicholls State to a 40-35 win over McNeese State on Saturday.

The Colonels (2-6, 2-1 Southland Conference) scored three straight touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 34-29 lead.

The Cowboys led after a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by Deonta McMahon's 9-yard run in the first minute of the fourth quarter. But then Gums promptly put Nicholls back on top.

McNeese chewed up almost five minutes before losing the ball on downs at the Nichols 25. The Cowboys then ran out the last five minutes.

Collin Guggenheim's second short TD run started the rally for the Colonels. James Tobin followed that less than a minute later with a 30-yard interception return. The lead came when Kohen Granier and Terry Matthews hooked up for an 89-yard catch and run.

Granier was 19-of-37 passing for 339 yards but had two interceptions.

Deonta McMahon ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns for the Cowboys (1-6, 0-3).

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