Final Stats

NACOGDOCHES, Texas  – The Nicholls State University football team recorded a season-high 518 yards on offense and scored its most points in a conference game since 2010 but four turnovers by the Colonels turned out to be the difference as Stephen F. Austin defeated Nicholls 55-41 on Saturday at Homer Bryce Stadium.

The loss snaps Nicholls' three-game winning streak, dropping the Colonels to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in conference. The win for SFA (3-4, 1-1) extends its winning streak in the series to six games and improves the Lumberjacks' all-time record to 23-7 against the Colonels.

Quarterback Tuskani Figaro accounted for 368 yards of total offense and three touchdowns, but the sophomore tossed a career-high three interceptions and had a lost fumble. He finished with 223 yards passing and a touchdown while rushing for 145 yards and two TDs.  Senior Dalton Hilliard Jr. had a career day in his first start, rushing for 93 yards and two scores and added a receiving touchdown. Erik Buchanan led the team with a career-high 144 yards on four receptions and scored once.

Although the defense surrendered 687 yards to SFA, two players had standout games for the Colonels as Davin Bovie and Kameryon Brown combined for 39 tackles. Bovie finished with 21 tackles, two shy of tying the single-game program record, while Brown finished with a career-best 18 and a sack.

The score was knotted at 14-all after the first as the teams traded touchdowns, with Hilliard scoring both for the Colonels. After SFA went up 7-0 on a Gus Johnson 2-yard touchdown, Hilliard capped a five-play drive with a 5-yard score. SFA's Brady Attaway then gave the Jacks a 14-7 lead with a touchdown pass, his first of six on the day, this one for 9-yards to DJ Ward. Attaway finished with 337 yards on 35-of-50 passing.

Nicholls quickly tied it up before the end of the quarter as Hilliard ran in from 2-yard out. The scoring drive was set up by a 51-yard pass from Figaro to Carey Fortson.

But SFA exploded for 28 points in the second quarter to take a 42-21 lead into half time. Attaway connected on four touchdown passes – two to Mike Brooks – as SFA racked up 486 yards of offense in the first half. Nicholls scored at the 7:41 mark in the second when Buchanan had his second touchdown over 50 yards in as many games when the senior found the end zone on a 61-yard pass from Figaro.

In the third, Nicholls cut the deficit to 42-28 after Figaro dove into the end zone to polish off a 43-yard touchdown run. The Colonels then executed a perfect onside kick as Andrew Dolan recovered his own kick at midfield to give Nicholls the ball back. Five plays later, Nicholls made it a one possession game at 42-35 with Figaro's second rushing TD of the quarter, this one from 12 yards.

Nicholls was able to keep SFA out of the end zone on its next possession, but a 40-yard field goal by Jordan Wiggs pushed the lead back to double figures. The Lumberjacks then came up with a big play in the red zone as Collin Garrett picked off Figaro at the SFA 6.

In the fourth, Wiggs added a 21-yard field goal to make the score 48-35 before a fumble by Figaro deep in SFA territory setup Attaway's sixth touchdown pass. The Colonels' final touchdown came with just under four minutes to go as Kalen Henderson, who saw his first action since suffering a leg injury against Western Michigan, found Hilliard for an 11-yard touchdown to make the final 55-41.

Nicholls will return home to face McNeese State on Oct. 26 for Family Day. Kickoff at John L. Guidry Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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