Headed to McNeese for Week 3, capping a three-week journey from Virginia to Arizona to Louisiana, the Wildcats were tired of getting down early and basically playing 45 minutes of football drudgery.

So in many ways, the 42-41 win at McNeese was great for an offense previously averaging 6.5 points per game. The Wildcats got up 21-7 by halftime and led 42-21 in the fourth quarter. By the time WSU’s offense capped a 13-play drive eating 6:11 off the clock with a Davion Godley 12-yard touchdown run, Weber had racked up 433 yards of offense early in the fourth quarter.

Even with struggles early in the game to consistently run the football with its backs, Weber State appeared to be wearing down McNeese. That’s a good sign going forward for the Wildcats’ offense against other FCS opponents.

“I think going on the road for three straight times, three different time zones — at the end of the day to show up in the fourth quarter to make a big play in the third game is tremendous, and that says a lot about our leadership and our coaching staff,” WSU head coach Mickey Mental said. “I think reverts back to practice habits. I thought we had a lot more energy on the sideline. The guys really bought into affecting the game even if you’re not playing or your side’s not on the ball. They brought energy, we were locked in.”

But the same fatigue was true for Weber State’s defense, too. Aided by another Jackson Gilkey interception that gave the Cowboys a 32-yard field, McNeese rallied for three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes.

“I think the game was wearing on us, and we’ve got to get more experience finishing teams off and ending the game when we have a lead like that,” junior defensive tackle Matt Herron said.

It wasn’t just the short field, though. McNeese racked up 211 yards in less than one quarter and had WSU desperate for a stop.

“I think our gap integrity was a little poor, just rewatching some of those plays. The guy’s out of the gap and they hit it downhill and then, you know, once it was hit downhill, it didn’t seem like we had much pursuit in the secondary, either,” Herron said. “But it’s hard for those guys in the secondary; we’ve got to be better with our gaps so it doesn’t hit downhill like that.”

But McNeese gave WSU one last opportunity to get that stop, going for two after making it 42-41 with 45 seconds left. It was Herron who delivered, pushing into the McNeese backfield and batting down a pass.

“I was planning on going in to block the (kick). I just told my guy Kevin (Johnson), I said, ‘let me get in.’ And then they ended up going for two there,” Herron said. “So I said alright, we need a stop obviously. I just got in my normal pass rush and the ball got out quick, got my hand up, and it was right there.

“I think people look at the negatives and look at the lead, and you know, what the game came down to. But personally I think we should all be pretty excited that we could get it done like that. … Last year, it was just painful loss after painful loss, so you know, I think you take what you can get, a win’s a win, and you like to be on top in those in those one-score games, for sure.”

So the Wildcats are happy to make the big play but know work remains as they prepare to host Butler for their home opener (7 p.m. Saturday) as a nonconference finale and final tuneup for Big Sky play.

For example, with the defense getting gassed, WSU’s offense had two more possessions in the fourth quarter. Running eight non-punt plays, Weber State had three rushes go for a loss or no gain and turned the ball over once, ultimately gaining 16 yards in those eight plays.

“The fourth quarter, it’s just not turning the ball over offensively, finishing the game in a 4-minute drive so we don’t put our defense in that position,” Mental said. “Then defensively, just not giving up the big play. So we’ll get those things corrected.

“It feels good to win a tight game. Now we’ve got to finish when we’re ahead. Another learning moment for this young team.”