Blake Joseph threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns, ran for another score and Jason Madkins caught seven passes for 147 yards and two TDs as Sam Houston State got past winless Northwestern State 34-30 in a back-and-fourth contest Saturday night.

Joseph, who was 20 of 31 passing, found Madkins with a 39-yard scoring strike with 5:37 to go for the winning touchdown and the game's eighth lead change. Chris Poullard had a 3-yard TD run for the Bearkats (4-4, 2-2 Southland Conference).

Paul Harris rushed 22 times for 144 yards and completed 13 of 31 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns for the Demons (0-8, 0-4). Justin Aldredge caught TD passes of 20 and 32 yards.

Neither team led by more than four points, and four of the lead changes came in a wild second quarter in which the teams combined for 31 points.