THIBODAUX, La. – Following a pair of tough road games against FBS programs, the Nicholls State University football team will make its 2014 John L. Guidry Stadium debut with a non-conference matchup against Henderson State on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m.
 
The game will stream live on Colonels All-Access, and can be listened to on the airwaves via the Colonel Sports Radio Network. Live Stats will also be provided, and all links are available on geauxcolonels.com.
 
The Colonels (0-2) will look to maintain their solid performance in home openers, as the Red and Gray post a 29-13 record all-time. Nicholls has improved its record in openers over the last five seasons, going 5-0 in its Guidry debuts. Under fifth-year head coach Charlie Stubbs, the Colonels have wins over NAIA Bacone College (44-28), Evangel (42-0 and 73-17) and Langston (42-22); however, Henderson State (1-0) comes to Thibodaux as the 7th-ranked team in NCAA Division II after its 72-7 blowout win over Great American Conference foe Southern Nazarene last weekend.
 
The Colonels were also involved in a lopsided game in their last outing, but unfortunately were on the wrong side. In their first-ever meeting with an SEC school, Nicholls found itself down 63-0 before cracking the scoreboard at Arkansas. The Razorback backs added 10 more points to hand the Colonels their eighth consecutive loss with a 73-7 defeat.
 
Senior Kalen Henderson will make his fourth career start, but Saturday will be his first start at home. Henderson has a 1-2 record as a starter, with all three games coming against FBS opponents. In two games played this season, he leads the team with 241 yards passing and has one touchdown pass on the year.
 
Henderson is set to have another pair of hands to throw to as senior receiver Demon Bolt returns to the lineup after missing the first two games. Bolt proved to be one of the Colonels' biggest playmakers last season, hauling in three grabs of 30 yards or longer in only seven games played. He finished his junior campaign with 250 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns.
 
After two rough outings on the ground, Nicholls will need to establish its running game against the Reddies in order to keep HSU's All-American quarterback Kevin Rodgers on the sideline. The Colonels are averaging just 48.5 yards rushing this year, versus a solid 198.2 yards last season. Nicholls has gained nearly 200 yards on the ground this season, but nearly half of it has been wiped out after 11 sacks by the opposing defenses.
 
On defense, Nicholls will face its first real test in the secondary as Henderson State relies heavily on the arm of its quarterback. Rodgers led the Reddies to an easy win in their opener, throwing for 407 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, he torched the opposition for 4,807 yards passing and 40 TDs, directing the Reddie offense to a 53.2 point per game average.
 
Wideout Darius Davis received the bulk of the work last week, catching 10 passes for 217 yards and five scores. Adrian Tucker needed only three grabs to rack up 100 yards and a touchdown and Joseph Snapp caught five passes for 86 yards, also scoring once.
 
The meeting will be the first-ever between the two schools; however, Nicholls took on GAC member Arkansas Tech in 2013, defeating the Wonder Boys 44-34.  HSU played Arkansas Tech last season as well and defeated them 45-14. The matchup will also be the first Division I opponent for Henderson State since 2011.
 
In addition to the game, Nicholls Athletics will honor its 2014 Hall of Fame Class in the Bollinger Memorial Student Union Mardi Gras Suite at 4 p.m., and the new class will be introduced at half time as well. The four-member class includes football's Gerald Butler and Lardarius Webb, baseball's Mike Mohler and softball's Christina Thornton.
 
Pre-game festivities are scheduled to kickoff three hours before game time with the Swamp Stomp Concert Series featuring the Treater Band. Admission to the concert series is free of charge, with each live show taking place in the tailgating area.
 
Season tickets for Nicholls Football are still available by logging onto geauxcolonels.com or by calling the Nicholls Athletics Ticket Office at 985-448-4790.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Nicholls Game Notes
Henderson State Game Notes
Radio Coverage: ESPN 100.3 FM (New Orleans); KJIN 1490 AM (Houma);   
*KBZE 105.9 FM (Morgan City); KFRA 1390 AM (Franklin)
Broadcast Team: Mike Wagenheim (play by play), Seth Thomas (color), Brennan Matherne (sideline)
Video Stream: Colonels All-Access
Live Stats: geauxcolonels.com
*KBZE will air the game on tape delay on Monday at 6 p.m.