Sept. 26, 2009

Final Stats

THIBODAUX -Jacksonville State quarterback and Louisiana native Ryan Perrilloux threw for four touchdowns and ran for one more as the Nicholls State University football team (1-3) couldn't find an answer for the No. 22 ranked Gamecocks and fell 60-10 on Saturday afternoon.

The Colonels, who were celebrating homecoming, fell victim to a JSU team that had opened the season with a pair of tough losses to traditional powerhouse NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision programs (37-17 at No. 15 Georgia Tech on Sept. 5, and 19-9 at Florida State on Sept. 12), but has gotten back to .500 on the season with wins over Alabama A&M (45-13 on Sept. 19) and Nicholls.

Perrilloux threw for 250 yards and ran for 58 more, and JSU outgained the Colonels on offense 484 to 210. Nicholls was led defensively by Yashua Willis (eight tackles, two for loss, one forced fumble) and Garrick Spain (four tackles, 1.5 for loss and the Colonels' only sack of the day).

"We knew that we were playing an exceptionally talented team coming in with a really good quarterback. We had a chance to watch him grow up in this area and recruit him, and we knew he could beat you with his arm and his legs."

The first quarter got off to a slow start as neither Nicholls nor Jacksonville State could break through on their opening drives.

However, the Gamecocks managed to strike first as JSU engineered a seven play, 77-yard drive culminating in a 17-yard touchdown pass from former Perrilloux to Justin Howard that put the Gamecocks up 7-0 with 1:40 left in the first.

The Gamecocks increased their lead to 14-0 in their first drive of the second quarter, going 51 yards in eight plays and scoring on a one-yard run by running back Calvin Middleton to put the Colonels down two scores.

Nicholls tried to get back in the game by answering on the following series. Freshman quarterback Jacob Witt connected with A.J. Williams on a 30-yard pass play on third down to keep the drive alive and consecutive 11-yard runs by Marlin Meeks and Williams helped advance the Colonels into field goal range.

Senior place kicker Ross Schexnayder drilled a 48-yard field goal to cap a nine play 42-yard drive and get the Colonels on the board 14-3.

However, that's as close as the Colonels were able to get as the Gamecocks. Jacksonville State went on a roll beginning in the second quarter with Perrilloux touchdown passes on consecutive drives to wrap up the first half.

The Gamecocks extended their lead on the opening kickoff of the second half. Senior Jamal Young fielded the kick and took it 95 yards for a touchdown to extend the JSU lead to 34-3.

Perrilloux helped extend the Gamecock lead again with his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon as a six-yard strike made it 41-3. After the Colonels fumbled the ensuing kickoff and gave up possession to JSU at the Nicholls 22 yard line, the Gamecocks wasted little time finding the end zone for the seventh time on the day as a six play-touchdown drive made it 47-3.

The Gamecocks would add another Perrilloux touchdown, this one a 38-yard run with 14:39 left in the game, before the Colonels finally found the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run by freshman QB LaQuinton Caston made it 53-10.

JSU would produce the final strike with a five-yard touchdown pass from backup QB Marques Ivory to Kevyn Cooper. The Gamecocks failed to convert on three of their nine PAT attempts for the 60-10 margin.

The Colonels will have an open week before returning to action by opening the 2009 Southland Conference season at Sam Houston State on Oct. 10. Kickoff between Nicholls and the Bearkats is set for 2:00 p.m. in Huntsville, Texas.

"The open date comes at a good time for us. It gives us a chance to heal and get us in position for the second half of our season with conference starting."

The Colonels will return to John L. Guidry Stadium on Saturday, October 17 when Texas State, the 2008 Southland champion, arrives in Thibodaux for a 1:00 p.m. kick.