THIBODAUX – The Nicholls State University football team will host conference foe Central Arkansas on Saturday at 4 p.m. in John L. Guidry Stadium. Activities surrounding the game will include the Stroll for Student-Athlete Scholarships, Family Day and 'Colonels Kicking Cancer' in conjunction with Thibodaux Regional Cancer Center to help raise cancer awareness.

The coaches, student-athletes and support staff will don some pink-colored apparel for the game with October being national breast cancer awareness month. Fans are asked to wear pink clothing to the game.

For more information about the activities surrounding Family Day click here.  The Stroll for Student-Athlete Scholarships will take place in the morning prior to the game, and openings are still available.  Click here for more information regarding the stroll.

The Colonels (2-4, 1-1 Southland) are coming off of a 47-45 four-overtime thriller at Texas State that marked the club's first win in conference and the team's first road victory in the 2010 campaign. The Bears (3-3, 0-2 Southland) fell to No. 5 Stephen F. Austin last Saturday, 30-7, and are in search of their first conference win this season.

“We played as a team last week, and had all three phases of the game come together at crucial times to keep us in it,” said head football coach Charlie Stubbs. “To win games, we are going to need to make crucial plays at critical times like we did at Texas State.”

In Nicholls' win over Texas State, sophomore quarterback LaQuintin Caston led the way for the offense with four total touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and 200-plus yards of total offense. Caston was named Southland Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

Also garnering both Southland and LSWA Special Teams Player of the Week honors was junior cornerback Bobby Felder. Felder scored a 70-yard touchdown after junior cornerback Chika Madu blocked a Texas State field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. The McComb, Miss. native also had an 11-yard punt return to help set up the Colonels game tying drive in the fourth quarter.

“Texas State was a great win for our program, but we have been focusing and preparing for a talented Central Arkansas team this week,” said Stubbs. “You have to prove yourself every week, and what I want to see from our program this week is to see if we can improve on last week's success.”

The Bears enter the game on a three-game losing streak, including conference losses to Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin. Central Arkansas' wide receiver Kenneth Robey leads the Southland in receptions (40) and is second in yards (488), yards receiving a game (81.3 yards/game) and touchdown receptions (4).

Throwing the ball to Robey has mainly been Bear quarterback Nathan Dick, who is ranked second in the Southland in every passing statistical category with the exception of one. Dick, a transfer from Arkansas, is also second in the conference in total offense (258.8 yards/game).

Central Arkansas' defense is led by linebacker Frank Newsome with 45 total tackles (15 solo), while Nicholls is led by senior safety Tarbbaris Hicks with 50 total stops (26 solo).

Notes of Interest:

Southland Player of the Week Awards
Sophomore Quarterback LaQuintin Caston and junior cornerback Bobby Felder each garnered Southland Player of the Week honors with Caston being named the Offensive Player of the Week, and Felder earning Special Teams Player of the Week recognition. It was the first time in Caston's career that he was named Southland Player of the Week, while it was Felder's second.

Always a War, Never Just a Battle
Nicholls and Texas State have engaged in some epic games, and, no matter what the circumstances, each team always brings their best. Nicholls owns the all time series against Texas State, 16-13, and has won all three overtime games in the series. Ever since the two schools have started playing for the coveted 'paddle' in 1998, Nicholls is 7-6 against its heated rival.

True Home Field Advantage
In the series between Nicholls and Central Arkansas, every game has gone to the home team, splitting the series 2-2. Every game, with the exception of last season's, has been decided in the final minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.

Following the Colonels:

Game Notes: Nicholls vs. Central Arkansas Release
Colonels on Television: WHNO-TV New Orleans (tape-delayed) at 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010. Cox Subscribers: Ch. 20, Charter Subscribers: Ch. 20. HTV 10 on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010 at 2 p.m.
Colonels Radio Network: KLRZ 100.3 FM in Larose, 100,000 watts (Flagship), KBZE 105.9 FM in Morgan City, 5,000 watts, KFRA 1390 AM in Franklin, 500 watts, KLEB 1600 AM in Galliano, 500 watts
Colonels Radio Network Halftime Show: Getting to know a Colonel with CB Bobby Felder; Interview with Thibodaux Regional Medical Center CEO Greg Stock
Broadcast team: Brennan Matherne (play-by-play) and Seth Thomas (analyst)
Colonels on the internet: www.klrzfm.com, www.kbze.com
Live Statistics: www.geauxcolonels.com

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