Published: 11:23 PM, 09/10/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com
A quick look at McNeese State's stats from its 27-24 win over Henderson State gives some insight into whom the Cowboys depend on to move the football.
The Cowboys ran the ball 30 times against Henderson State. Todd Pendland ran the ball 19 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Derri Fourroux ran it 19 times for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Immanu Friddle ran it once for minus one yard.
Guess who's going to get the ball Saturday when the No. 16 Cowboys take on No. 2 Appalachian State at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday?
Pendland is an All-America candidate for the Cowboys, a traditional power from the Southland Conference. He gained 1,431 yards last year, was named honorable mention All-American by The Sports Network and has been timed in the 40-yard dash at 4.32 seconds.
"They have a tough football team," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. "They have a hard-nosed team. They have a rich tradition of winning and they've been to Chattanooga (site of the FCS championship game) a number of times, I know once against Youngstown and once against Western Kentucky."
Appalachian State gets a sneak-peak at the Cowboys before the Mountaineers begin their home-and-home series with them in the following decade. Appalachian State plays at McNeese State in 2014 and hosts the Cowboys following year.
The games are part of a three-team series with Appalachian State, McNeese State and Montana. All three teams played each other in home-and-home games, beginning in 2012 when Appalachian State hosts Montana.
"We know about the history of McNeese and we've got the series with them and Montana," Moore said. "I think it's good for our division of football. Our people are anxious to see the Cowboys. A lot of our people have never seen them play. They've been on schedule to meet us in the playoffs, but either one of us got beat and we didn't get to play each other."
Appalachian State is ready to start again after falling 29-24 to East Carolina last week. The Mountaineers fell behind 24-0 at the start of the game, trailed 27-7 at halftime, but outscored the Pirates 17-2 in the second half and was driving for a potential winning touchdown before failing to convert a fourth down with 16 seconds left in the game.
Armanti Edwards, the current Walter Payton Award winner, did not play because of a gash in his foot as the result of a lawn mowing accident. He will start against the Cowboys on Saturday.

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