THIBODAUX, La. – Freshman
Chase Fourcade threw for 254 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another but the Nicholls State University football team was unable to keep pace with No.1 Sam Houston State as the Colonels were handed a 38-21 loss on Saturday at John L. Guidry Stadium.
The setback puts Nicholls at 3-4 on the season and 3-2 in league play, while Sam Houston, which took over the top spot in the FCS polls last Monday, stayed undefeated at 7-0 and 6-0 in the SLC. The win for the visitors also extended their winning streak to 10 games in the series, dating back to 2006.
Sam Houston led 24-0 at the break, with Nicholls missing on a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Colonels cracked the scoring column in the third on a 16-yard rush by
C.J. Okpalobi and following a touchdown by SHSU, Nicholls ran a trick play for its second touchdown of the evening. Fourcade threw to the flat to
C.J. Bates, who tossed it back to Fourcade. The freshman quarterback then ran 25 yards for a score, making it 31-14.
Both teams added a touchdown in the fourth, with Fourcade and Bates hooking up for a 7-yard score to make the final.
Heading into the matchup, the Bearkat offense was the nation's top scoring squad and had the second-most passing yards per game. The Colonels held Sam Houston to 16 points below their average, but Jeremiah Briscoe hung 419 yards passing and three touchdowns on the defense. Briscoe had an interception on the game's opening dive as
Christian Boutte recorded his third pick of the year.
The Bearkats used a turnover of their own to score the first points as All-American P.J. Hall stripped Fourcade at the Colonel 35. A sack by the Colonels'
Kenny Dotson helped stall the drive, leading to a 41-yard field goal.
Nicholls went for a 4th-and-1 on its next drive, but the Bearkat defense stuff a run up the middle. Sam Houston extended its lead to 10-0 on a 1-yard rush by Javin Webb.
In the second, the Bearkats made it 17-0 after a 13-play, 68-yard scoring drive. Nicholls answered with its own 76-yard drive, but
David McKey missed wide on a 24-yard field goal. Briscoe closed out the half with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Dick for a 24-0 advantage.
Okpalobi's touchdown in the third capped a 13-play, 75-yard. The senior finished with 68 yards on 18 carries and had three receptions for 54 yards.
Once again, Sam Houston responded with a touchdown. This time, Briscoe hit Deon Hutchinson for a 1-yard score for a 31-7 lead. Following the Colonels' lateral for a touchdown, the two hooked up again in the fourth for a 2-yard TD.
Damion Jeanpiere led the Colonels with 58 yards receiving on six receptions, while Bates had seven catches for 49 yards. Fourcade completed 27-of-39 passes and was sacked three times. In conference games, Fourcade is averaging 259.4 yards passing and has six touchdown passes.
Allen Pittman led the defense with 10 tackles, which was his third straight double-figure performance.
Corey Abraham added seven stops and
Darryl Adams broke up a pair of passes.
Nicholls will hit the road for its next game, taking on rival Northwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff in Natchitoches is scheduled for 6 p.m.
