CONWAY, Ark. _ The "Red Beans and Rice Bowl" trophy is back in Conway.

The 16th-ranked University of Central Arkansas Bears outscored McNeese State 20-7 in the second half of a 40-31 victory on Saturday on "The Stripes" at First Security Field at Estes Stadium.

The Bears (4-3, 2-1) got a pair of touchdown receptions from freshman receiver Tyler Hudson, four of four field goals from junior placekicker Hayden Ray and an unexpected, fill-in touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Luke Hales in the third quarter to knock off the Cowboys (3-4, 1-3) and take home the traveling trophy for the seventh time in 11 years of the rivalry.

UCA, coming off consecutive losses, sputtered a little early with turnovers and penalties but managed to get within 24-20 at halftime on the strength of two of Ray's field goals (34 and 39 yards), a 17-yard touchdown pass from Breylin Smith to senior Carlos Blackman and a 38-yarder from Smith to junior Joe Hampton.

Smith then found Hudson for a 78-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter that put the Bears ahead for good. With 2:46 left in the third period, Smith was sacked and his helmet was knocked off, forcing him to leave the field for one play. Hales, a redshirt sophomore who started the final seven games a year ago after Smith broke his ankle, came in cold off the bench for one play and made the most of it, connecting with Hudson for a 19-yard touchdown, good for a 34-24 lead. It was Hale's first play of the 2019 season.
 

Hudson, a true freshman from Spring, Texas, caught four passes for a career-high 113 yards and two scores. Smith finished 28 of 41 for a career-high 369 yards and three touchdowns, with a pair of interceptions. The first came on the first offensive play of the game. McNeese's Cory McCoy picked off the pass at the UCA 35 and the Cowboys scored two plays later on a 31-yard pass from Cody Orgeron to Cyron Sutton for a quick 7-0 lead.

Sutton, a junior receiver from New Orleans, set a McNeese school record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Orgerson, a junior quarterback and son of LSU head coach Ed Orgerson, completed 26 of 41 passes for a career-high 344 yards and career-high four touchdowns, and also rushed for 58 yards.

Ray's first field goal cut the margin to 7-3 with 9:10 left in the first quarter before Bailey Raborn made a 25-yarder for the Cowboys to make it 10-3. Blackman, a senior running back, tied the game with his 17-yard touchdown reception with 5:01 left in the period.
 

Orgeron found Sutton from five yards out for a 17-10 lead early in the second quarter before Ray connected again on a 39-yarder to close the gap to 17-13. Both teams then added scores in the final two minutes of the half, with Smith finding Hampton for his first touchdown reception of the season and McNeese answering with an Orgeron pass to Trevor Beque from 32 yards out for a 24-20 halftime lead. The Bears' touchdown came after a roughing the punter penalty on the Cowboys that set UCA up with first down at midfield and led to a touchdown four plays later.

The Bears had 247 yards of total offense in the first half and the Cowboys had 259. Smith was 18 of 28 for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

After the teams traded three punts to open the second half, UCA scored in one play, a career-long 78-yard reception for Hudson from from Smith at the 8:08 mark of the third period. The UCA defense then came up big and gave the Bears the ball back at the McNeese 7 after a pair of sacks and a ball snapped over the punter's head on fourth down for a loss of 35 yards. Hampton recovered at the 7 for the Bears and after two lost-yardage plays, Hales hit Hudson with a 19-yard, third-down pass in the right corner of the end zone to push the lead to 34-24.
 

After McNeese used a 14-play, 75-yard drive to cut the lead to 34-31 with 12:10 remaining, Ray connected on his third field goal, good for a 37-31 lead. UCA's defense then stepped up again as Ray's kickoff was fielded at the 2 and returned by J'Cobi Skinner. He was tackled by Cameron Myers and fumbled, with UCA's Malik Wilson recovering at the McNeese 22. Four plays later, Ray hit his fourth and final field goal, from 39 yards out, to set the final at 40-31. Ray is now a perfect 9 of 9 on field goal attempts for the season.

Redshirt freshman safety Cameron Godfrey led the Bears with nine tackles, while sophomore linebacker Dre Matthewshad eight tackles and 1.5 sacks. Junior defensive end Nathan Grant added seven tackles and two tackles for loss. Sophomore transfer wide receiver Jarrod Barnes caught three passes for 52 yards in is first significant action. Blackmon finished with 64 rushing yards and five receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown.

UCA has won three of the past four meetings with McNeese and improved to 60-15 at home on "The Stripes" since moving to NCAA Division I in 2006. 

The Bears head to Natchitoches, La., next Saturday to take on the Northwestern State Demons at 6 p.m. at Turpin Stadium before hosting Homecoming 2019 on Oct. 26 vs. Sam Houston State. Northwestern State lost to No. 12 Nicholls State 45-35 on Saturday, while No. 24/25 SHSU fell to Lamar 20-17 in triple overtime.