Briscoe leads Sam Houston State over McNeese State 34-29

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) Jeremiah Briscoe passed for 313 yards and three touchdowns, and Sam Houston State ended McNeese State's perfect season with a 34-29 win in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday night.

Sam Houston State (10-3), which failed to score on offense in a 27-10 loss to the Cowboys on Nov. 7, rolled up 494 total yards and 26 first downs against the No. 2 scoring defense in the FCS.

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Two second-half TD passes from Daniel Sams cut Sam Houston's lead to five, and the Pokes had first-and-goal at the Bearkats' 1-yard line in the fourth quarter. But they punted after penalties and sacks backed them up to fourth-and-39, and Briscoe led a clock-killing 11-play drive to ice the game.

Sams finished 11 of 20 for 147 yards with four touchdown passes and an interception for McNeese State (10-1). He also rushed for 75 yards.

Sam Houston State advances to face Colgate in the FCS quarterfinals, which beat James Madison 44-38 on Saturday.

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