Box Score and Play-by-Play

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Nicholls State University football team (0-2) rallied to tie the game twice in the first half, but Western Michigan pulled away late as the Colonels fell to the Broncos 49-14 at Waldo Stadium on Saturday.

Nicholls was led by sophomore running back Jesse Turner with 107 total yards of offense (92 rushing and 15 receiving).  Also leading the charge was sophomore quarterback LaQuintin Caston with 124 yards passing and a touchdown, completing 11-of-18 pass attempts.  The Colonels leading receiver was junior wide receiver Kenyad Blair with four receptions for 34 yards, and Chika Madu led Nicholls in all-purpose yards for the second straight week with 131 yards (119 on five kick returns, 12 on punt returns).

Although Western Michigan (1-1) out-gained Nicholls (0-2) on the ground 129-to-112 yards, the Colonels started strong and were ahead in the rushing department  at halftime with 90 yards on the ground, compared to WMU's 70 first half rushing yards, on four fewer first half carries than the Broncos.

Leading the charge on defense was senior free safety Tarbbaris Hicks for the second straight week with a personal best 13 total stops (four solo).  Senior Ed James also finished with a career-high 10 tackles (four solo) as well.

“It was a game really of two halves.  I thought that in the first half it was a nip-tuck game with each team giving and taking.  Late in the second quarter we could have tied it to make it even at halftime, but turned the ball over in the red zone and Western Michigan just did a great job of matching our momentum,” said head coach Charlie Stubbs.

Western Michigan (1-1) drew first blood, scoring on a 1-yard run by Antoin Scriven up the gut to take the early lead at the 2:55 mark of the first quarter.  The scoring drive went a total of eight plays for 79 yards, and John Potter added the extra point for the 7-0 advantage.

However, the Nicholls defense regrouped with four consecutive defensive stands; the first of which came on a fourth-down passing attempt by the Broncos that ended with a sack by Nicholls' junior defensive tackle #A.J. Carter#.  Carter's first sack of the season went for a loss of nine to end the drive.  Carter would finish with a personal best five total tackles (two solo), a sack and a quarterback pressure.

The Colonel offense then took over, putting together an eight-play drive that went 42 yards before ending in a 27-yard field goal attempt by true freshman Andrew Dolan that was blocked by Western Michigan.

Keeping the drive alive on a third-and-nine conversion was a Caston-to-Blair 22-yard connection that put Nicholls just outside the red zone at the 29-yard line.

After Nicholls' defense turned WMU away empty-handed for the fourth consecutive series, the Colonels cracked the scoreboard on a gutsy, fourth-and-one play on their own 48-yard line.  The gamble paid off in the form of a 52-yard run to the end zone by Turner.  After Dolan's PAT, the score was tied, 7-7 with 10:04 left in the second.

“To make things happen for us in games against teams like this we have to take chances like on fourth-down when we hit it with that run by Jesse Turner,” said Stubbs.

However, all it took was one play for Western Michigan to take the momentum back on the next series.  WMU struck paydirt with a 74-yard receiving touchdown from quarterback Alex Carder to wide receiver Jordan White on the next play from scrimmage.  After the PAT, Western Michigan took the 14-7 lead with 9:48 left in the second quarter.

Carder finished with 298 yards passing, completing 24-of-33 pass attempts for five touchdowns and one interception.  He connected with White six times for 130 yards and two scores.

Nicholls' defensive unit regrouped after the big play, responding again in the second quarter with an interception by true freshman Brian Lewis at the Bronco 20-yard line that was returned to the five.  Lewis, in his first collegiate start, finished with five tackles (four solo) and one interception.  

After Lewis' interception return, all it took was one play call by Stubbs with Caston finding sophomore Joshua Warren wide open in the end zone.  Dolan's PAT was good, and the score was tied 14-14 with 4:42 left in the first half.

The seesaw battle continued as Western Michigan went down the field on seven plays to retake the lead with a Carder-to-White 5-yard touchdown pass play with 1:44 left until halftime.  The PAT was successful, and the Broncos led 21-14.  Neither team would score for the remainder of the half.

“We have preached to these young men to fight through adversity, and make every snap count and help us in the future.  Our defense and offense played well in the first half, and got some good pressure and came up with some big plays,” said Stubbs about the first half.

In the second half, Western Michigan scored on its first two offensive possessions with the second coming after a Colonel turnover deep in their own territory.  The Broncos scored 21 unaswered points in the third quarter and added one touchdown in the fourth, to put the game out of reach.

“I really believe we made some strides, but again our maturing process is going to take some time.  I saw improvement out there, and I'm sure when we review the film that we will see that,” added Stubbs.

Nicholls will play at South Alabama next week at 4 p.m., while Western Michigan will host Toledo.