Pick-6 helps Abilene Christian beat Northwestern State 49-47

ABILENE, Texas (AP) — Luke Anthony threw three touchdown passes, and Qua'Shawn Washington's pick-6 late in the fourth quarter helped Abilene Christian hold off Northwestern State 49-47 on Saturday.

Anthony was 31-of-47 passing for 344 yards and threw a pair of scores to Tracy James and another to Tyrese White. James and Billy McCrary each had a TD run for Abilene Christian (5-4, 4-3 Southland Conference).

Shelton Eppler completed 25 of 41 passes for 367 yards and threw six touchdown passes but three interceptions for Northwestern State (3-6, 2-5). Jazz Ferguson caught three scores.

Stadford Anderson's three-yard touchdown run pulled Northwestern State to 41-35 midway through the fourth quarter. The Demons forced a three-and-out, but Washington intercepted Eppler's pass and returned it 37 yards into the end zone with 4:39 left. It was Abilene Christian's first defensive touchdown since 2014.

Eppler rallied back with a pair of touchdown passes sandwiched between an ACU turnover. The Demons forced another punt and had the ball with 30 seconds left but couldn't get past their own 40-yard line.