Box Score and Play-by-Play

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Nicholls State University football team pulled off one of its biggest wins in recent memory, rallying to defeat Texas State 47-45 in four overtime periods on Saturday night in Bobcat Stadium.  It marked the Colonels' first victory over the Bobcats since 2007 in the 12-year old "Battle for the Paddle."

The Colonels trailed 21-14 late in the fourth quarter, but after junior cornerback Bobby Felder returned a Bobcat punt to the Texas State 37-yard line, sophomore quarterback LaQuinton Caston led Nicholls on a game-tying drive with 3:14 left on the clock. 

Caston broke loose for runs of 10 and 18 yards on the first two plays of the drive to get the ball to the Bobcat nine-yard line, but the Bobcat defense kept the Colonels out of the end zone on the next three plays.  Fortunately, Caston connected and got in the end zone on fourth down via a four-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kenyad Blair with 13 seconds left in regulation.  It was Blair's first career touchdown.

Nicholls' game winning play in overtime came after a two-yard touchdown pass from Caston to sophomore wide receiver Joshua Warren in the fourth overtime period to tie the score at 45.  Caston then connected with sophomore wide receiver Chucky Nichols underneath coverage for the winning two-point conversion on the ensuing point-after try.

"I'm very proud of our team," said head football coach Charlie Stubbs.  "We had to make a lot of big plays at critical times to not only stay in it, but ultimately get the win.  I always knew that these young men have had it in them, and tonight they showed signs of it by beating a great team at their place."

In overtime, the Colonels struck first as Caston ran the ball in from five yards out.  The PAT made it 28-21 Nicholls.  Unfortunately, for the Colonels, the Bobcats answered with a TD of their own.  After both teams settled for field goals in the second overtime, Nicholls took a 39-31 lead as Jesse Turner's 10-yard touchdown run was followed by Caston finding running back Marcus Washington in the end zone for a successful PAT on the now mandatory two-point try.  The Bobcats answered with a touchdown and successful two-point try of their own, and Texas State found the endzone to start the fourth OT period.

However, this time Texas State's two-point conversion attempt was intercepted by redshirt freshman free safety Aldaro Russell to set the stage for the Colonels' dramatic victory.

The Colonels (2-4, 1-1 Southland) were led by Caston with four total touchdowns – two on the ground and two by way of air – to go along with 112 yards rushing and 119 passing.  The Bobcats (3-3, 0-2 Southland) were led also led by their signal caller Tyler Arndt with 348 yards and four touchdowns.  Arndt, a true freshman, completed 25-of-39 passes in the game.

"On the sidelines, I'm very hard on LaQuinton, because I see how great of an athlete he is and can be," Stubbs said.  "I truly believe he grew up tonight in close situations and made some outstanding plays for us."

Nicholls leading tackler in the win was junior linebacker Anri Stewart with 11 total tackles (three solo) that included a half sack. 

Nicholls drew first blood in the contest, scoring on an eight-yard Caston run that put Nicholls on the board with 9:49 left in the first quarter.  True freshman kicker Andrew Dolan was successful on the PAT, and the Colonels went up 7-0.  The score came two plays after a muffed punt by the Bobcats that was recovered by true freshman Jordan Hanberry deep in Texas State territory.

The Bobcats cracked the scoreboard in the second quarter, and made good on a 42-yard receiving score by wide receiver Da'Marcus Griggs to tie the game 7-7 with 8:28 left in the first half.  Griggs finished with 205 yards receiving and two scores.

Both teams went on to trade missed field goals with under two minutes left in the second quarter, as the last – a 37-yard attempt by the Bobcats' Justin Garelick – sailed wide left in the closing seconds.  Dolan's attempt of 53-yards had the distance, but just missed wide right at with 1:35 left in the second quarter.

In the first half, Nicholls was held to 140 yards of total offense with 98 of it coming on the ground - 59 of which belonged to Caston.  Texas State had 213 yards of offense through the first two quarters with 196 coming through the air.  

Nicholls opened the second half with a three-and-out showing from the offense, and Texas State marched down the field after a 36-yard punt by Dolan.  The Bobcats looked to take the lead with a 35-yard field goal attempt by Garelick, except junior cornerback Chika Madu beat his blocker on the edge and snuffed the try. 

Felder scooped loose ball up off the turf, and took it 70 yards to pay dirt to give Nicholls the lead.  Dolan successfully put the PAT through the uprights, and Nicholls led 14-7 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.

"It was a great job tonight by our special ops," added Stubbs about the play.  "That play, in particular, was an outstanding play, and it gave us some momentum at a time when our offense was struggling.  Overall tonight, our special ops did an outstanding job of flashing in front of the kicker and forcing some missed field goals."

Texas State answered on the ensuing drive with a nine play, 63-yard drive that tied the game back up via a four-yard touchdown reception by Darren Dillard with 3:12 left in the third quarter.

The Bobcats then took advantage of a bad offensive series by the Colonels that left Dolan punting from his own end zone, and Texas State returned his 47-yard punt to Nicholls' 17-yard line.  After the big return, all it took was one play – an Arndt-to-Griggs pass and catch – for Texas State to take its first lead of the game with 10:06 left in regulation.

Garelick added the PAT to put Texas State up 21-14 with 10:06 left in the game for the club's first lead, but the Colonels' answered with their game-tying drive.

Nicholls returns to action when the Colonels host Central Arkansas on Oct. 23 at John L. Guidry Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.