NATCHITOCHES – While Saturday night's rivalry renewal with Louisiana Tech unfolded just as Northwestern State football coach Jay Thomas hoped it might, and the outcome was a dream come true for the Demons, the team's return home didn't work out as envisioned.
 
The 300-strong Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band, whose presence was "a huge factor," said Thomas, in helping NSU's 30-27 upset at Joe Aillet Stadium, was planning to greet the Demons upon arrival at Turpin Stadium around midnight.
 
"We made good time coming back, got home ahead of schedule, and the band was still on the road," said Thomas. "Fortunately, we timed things just right in Ruston."
 
NSU (2-2) scored 20 fourth-quarter points, including 13 in the last 4:20 by claiming a pair of turnovers, and won on Chris Moore's 47-yard field goal at the final horn. The Demons, who fell behind less than three minutes into play, never led until the game ended, facing down four 10-point deficits, the last with 8:35 remaining.
 
"We came in with the right mindset and we enjoyed it. I wasn't worried when they scored early," said senior linebacker Marion Chapman, whose fumble recovery with 2:45 to go led to Moore's game-tying 29-yarder with 65 seconds left. "We knew we would keep bouncing back and fighting hard."
 
A bitter experience in the season opener, when Missouri State (3-1) rallied in the final 22 minutes to overcome a 17-point Demon lead to win at Turpin Stadium, proved painfully beneficial.
 
"We never doubted ourselves," said sophomore safety Adam Jones, who had two interceptions, one sparking a third-quarter 58-yard drive for a touchdown, and the last with 52 seconds left at the Tech 49, giving NSU the shot to win. "We had been on the wrong end of a close game and so we knew how deep you have to reach to come out on top in a fight like this one. We learned from that loss to Missouri State and it made a difference for us."
 
Said Thomas: "We showed we've learned how to come from behind, how to finish the game, how to create your own opportunities in a game.
 
"The game unfolded along the lines we hoped it would. We were able to hang in there, stay close and keep battling to get it to the fourth quarter, and see what could happen. Our guys made plays when they needed to make plays, got it done, against a good Tech team that had just manhandled two bowl teams from last year," he said.
 
"Hands down, it's the best game we've played in my year and a half as head coach. It was a big shot in the arm for the program. We didn't play remotely close to perfect, but our effort was tremendous, our commitment was total, our belief in one another was unflinching. We found ways to get it done."
 
The Demons ran 45 second-half plays and gained 220 yards after managing only 87 in the first two quarters against a rugged Bulldogs defense. For the second straight week, NSU forced five turnovers, adding a Rico Albert interception and a fumble recovery by Imoan Claiborne, who also deflected the ball that Jones scooped up near midfield in the final minute. On the heels of posting 48 points in a win at Louisiana-Lafayette and 42 last week in a blowout at North Texas, both 2013 bowl teams, Tech didn't crack the 30-point barrier Saturday.
 
"We created some problems for their offense, and we created turnovers at critical times. (Bulldogs running back) Kenneth Dixon is a fantastic football player, highly competitive, has a great passion for the game, and we didn't let him be a dominating factor," said Thomas. "At the end of the game, (senior linebacker) Jacob Merriman steps up and makes the biggest play of the game to get that ball loose that Marion pounced on."
 
Getting untracked offensively started up front, where junior tackle Pace Murphy led the way, playing all 78 snaps and grading 86 percent.
 
"Credit goes to our offensive line," said Thomas. "They had a lot of different blitzes, a lot of different fronts coming at them, and our big guys kept working and created some creases and gave us time to throw. Zach (Adkins) made some really quality throws, our receivers made some tough catches, our backs ran to space and shook free of tackles."
 
The first matchup between the old rivals in 20 years was intense, entertaining a crowd of 26,004 that was the third largest ever at Tech, and the biggest since 1999.  The game lived up to the best traditions in the 107-year-old series.
 
"We played smart, clean, solid football, the kind you like as coaches. It was probably the most rewarding, the most fun game I've ever been a part of," said Thomas. "There were breaks both ways, great plays on both sides, a game that had a little of everything in it."
 
Jones gave credit to the Demons' work during game week.
 
"We had a great week of preparation. Our coaches did a great job and that's what got us the win," he said.
 
Rewarding former players and coaches who had tasted frustration often, including in 18 of the last 21 matchups with Tech, was special for the Demons, who were hugged and high-fived by their predecessors in a raucous postgame on-field celebration.
 
"It makes it that much cooler, seeing how happy they were," said Moore, "but I know our team was most excited about pulling together and winning a tough game on the road, with that many people in the stands supporting us, with our band there."
 
"The fans we had, the band being there, that made a huge difference for us," said Thomas. "I don't know how many we had, but our fans were just as loud as theirs in a crowd of 26,000, and our kids really fed off that support and appreciated it."
 
The Demons reviewed game tape Sunday night. They are open next Saturday and play at Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 4.