Final Stats THIBODAUX  - The Nicholls State University football team racked up a season-high 492 yards on offense, including a career-best 177 yards on the ground from quarterback LaQuintin Caston, but the Lamar Cardinals scored two touchdowns on specials teams as LU held on for a 34-26 victory on Saturday night at John L. Guidry Stadium .

“There were several plays that could have gone either way, but they just swung their way instead of ours” said Nicholls head football coach Charlie Stubbs. “But when it came to crunch time, just like last week at McNeese, the plays that really decide the game, we're just not making.”

Along with his career-night on the ground, Caston threw for a season-high 214 yards, connecting on 21-of-40 attempts with two touchdown passes to freshman Demon Bolt. However, his counterpart, Andre Bevil, led Lamar (4-6, 2-4 SLC) with three TD passes and 184 yards after coming off the bench.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Nicholls (1-9, 0-6 SLC) struck first on an impressive 14-play, 69-yard drive that ended at the 12:26 mark of the second. On third-and-goal from the 9, Bolt made a diving grab on a fade route to make the score 7-0 Colonels. On the ensuing kickoff, Nicholls forced a fumble by Marcus Jackson, who then picked it up and returned it 78 yards to even the game.

Lamar took the lead, 14-7, with 49 seconds until half time on an outstanding one-handed grab by J.J. Hayes, who led all receivers with 107 yards. The Colonels responded though with a career-long 49-yard field goal by Andrew Dolan, and headed into half down 14-10.

In the third, the Lamar special teams came up with its second big play of the night, blocking a punt and returning it 29 yards for a score to lead 21-10. Later in the quarter after another Dolan field goal, an interception by Bobby Felder set up a potential game-tying drive. On fourth-and-four on the Lamar 21, Caston broke free on a pass play, scrambling up the middle to cut the deficit to 21-19 with 1:30 left on the clock. On the two-point conversion, Caston found Josh Hanberry in the flat, but the Cardinals stopped the ball just short of the goal line to secure the lead.

On the first play in the final quarter, Bevil hit a wide-open Jackson in the end zone for a 14-yard TD, but the Colonels blocked the PAT to keep it a one-possession game at 27-19. However, after a failed fake punt attempt on Nicholls' next drive, Hayes notched his second score on a 32-yard strike with 10:34 remaining.

Nicholls made one final push, cutting the lead down to 34-26 after Bolt's second TD of the game. With only five seconds left in the game, the Colonels recovered the onside kick for one last shot. Nicholls looked for a hail mary from its own 41, but the Cardinals sacked Caston in the backfield to end the game.

Nicholls totaled 276 yards rushing for the game, with Jesse Turner adding 47 on nine carries while Marcus Washington finished with 39. Washington also led the Colonels with 53 yards receiving on four receptions.

The defense was led by Kerry Guidry with a career-high seven tackles. Junior Darrell Brown had two sacks and sophomore Brian Lewis added one. Felder broke up four passes, and his interception was his fifth of the season.

Nicholls will close out the 2011 season next Thursday (Nov. 17), when they head to Southeastern Louisiana for the River Bell Classic. The game will be broadcast on CST, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.