Final Stats

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Nicholls State University football team lost its fourth consecutive game as the No. 6/7 Sam Houston Bearkats scored 49 consecutive points en route to a 49-24 victory in their home finale Saturday at Bowers Stadium.

With the loss, Nicholls (4-6, 1-4) has lost eight consecutive contests to the Bearkats, which improved to 8-2 and 4-1 on the year.

Sophomore Tuskani Figaro tied a school record with his fifth 100-yard rushing effort of the season, finishing the day with 117 yards on 18 carries.  Figaro has 988 yards rushing on the season and is looking to become only the second Colonel to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

As a team, Nicholls had 412 yards on offense, but most of it came late after Sam Houston built a 49-3 lead after three quarters. Beaux Hebert led the passing offense, completing 15 of 16 passes – all in the fourth quarter – for 148 yards and two touchdowns. After Michael Henry rushed for his first career touchdown, Hebert completed TD passes to Xavier Marcus and Dylan Ledet to close out the game.

The Colonels saw their only lead when Andrew Dolan kicked a 37-yard field goal on the game's first possession. Nicholls used a pair of 20-yard runs by Figaro to set up Dolan's field goal, but the Bearkats answered quickly with a 16-yard TD run by Keshawn Hill.  Sam Houston needed only 1:51 to score after Nicholls came up empty on a surprise onside kick.

In the first play of the second quarter, Richard Sincere ran 32 yards untouched to make the score 14-3 Bearkats. Quarterback Brian Bell, who threw for 158 yards on 12 of 18 passes, added a 45-yard touchdown run to push the Sam Houston lead to 21-3.

The Colonels threatened to cut into the lead later in the quarter, but Figaro was hit and fumbled at the Sam Houston 18 yard line for their first of two Colonel turnovers.

Sam Houston dominated the third quarter, scoring four touchdowns to lead 49-3. Hill scored on a 1-yard run to start the scoring barrage before the defense added points on a 56-yard interception return by Michael Wade. Bell then found Torrance Williams for a 56-yard touchdown pass and Sam Houston capped the quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run by Don King III with 1:31 left.

In the fourth, Henry's 2-yard plunge into the end zone gave Nicholls its first touchdown of the game. Hebert's scoring passes went for 46 yards to Xavier and 7 yards to Ledet. Marcus led Nicholls with 51 yards receiving on two receptions.

Senior Jordan Hanberry led Nicholls with eight tackles including one for loss.

Nicholls will return home for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 16 against Central Arkansas. Kickoff at John L. Guidry is scheduled for 3 p.m.