#FIRSTFIVE
• The Nicholls Colonels (2-7, 2-5 SLC) will wrap up their 2015 home slate on Saturday as they host Central Arkansas (6-3, 6-1 SLC) on Senior Day. While the Colonels will look to build off their road win last week at Lamar, they could also play  the spoiler role as UCA heads to Thibodaux looking to stay in the thick of the Southland Conference race, as well as strengthening their resume for a possible postseason bid.

• Tim Rebowe is 1-2 at home in his first season as the Colonels' head coach. After a 37-7 loss to top-ranked McNeese State, Rebowe led Nicholls to a 38-17 victory over Houston Baptist on Oct. 17. In the Red and Gray's last outing in Thibodaux, Northwestern State toppled the Colonels, 37-21. 

• Central Arkansas leads the all-time series over Nicholls, 7-2, dating back to the first meeting in 2000. After taking two of three against the Bears, the Colonels have lost six straight to UCA including the last three in Thibodaux. Last season, UCA defeated Nicholls, 52-18, in Conway to open the conference season. The teams met in 2013 in Thibodaux on Senior Day and the Bears came away with a 17-10 victory. 

• Nicholls rushed for a season-high 415 yards last Saturday to defeat Lamar on the road, 30-28. The Colonels fell behind by two touchdowns early on, but kept finding a way to answer Lamar's potent rushing attack with a stellar performance on the ground of their own. Tobias Lofton rushed for a career-high 154 yards and had an 82-yard touchdown, and Michael Henry recorded his sixth career 100-yard game and found the end zone twice.

• Saturday will serve as the final home game for 23 Colonel seniors. Being recognized before the game will be Jonah Austin, Brandon Bolden, Kameryon Brown, Jarmon Coleman, Francisco Condado, Dash Duncan, Dorian Durald, Zack Edgens, Hunter Hannegan, Charles Henderson, Michael Henry, Brandon Holmes, Kyron King, Landry Klann, Darius Knight, Dylan Ledet, Tobias Lofton, Terry Lucas Jr., Xavier Marcus, Chris Sciambra, James Sherrill, Darryl Watson II and Reggie Wilson.   


BY THE NUMBERS

2 - Nicholls will be searching for conference win No. 2 at Guidry Stadium. The Colonels have not won two home Southland games in the same season since 2008, which was the year the Colonels upset No. 11 Central Arkansas

4 - The Colonels have had four 100-yard rushers in the last two contests after having none in the first seven games. Michael Henry (154 yds) and Tuskani Figaro (114 yds) ran for over 100 against Northwestern State, while Tobias Lofton (154 yds) and Henry (100 yds) accomplished the feat at Lamar

5 - Freshman defensive back Ahmani Martin has single-handedly prevented five touchdowns this season. His two interceptions came in or near the opponent's end zone, he has two pass breakups in the end zone, and also forced a fumble at the goal line. 

8th - Although the Colonels have allowed yardage on defense, they've lived by the bend-but-don't-break mentalilty by not allowing teams to score from the red zone. Nicholls ranks 8th in the FCS in red zone defense, allowing the opposition to score just 65.3 % of the time

162 - Senior RB Michael Henry is just 162 rushing yards away from reaching 2,000 for his career. Henry, who is currently tied for 7th on the all-time rushing list (1,838), would be only the 7th player in program history to reach the benchmark


ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...

• Nicholls has dominated on Nov. 14 all-time, posting a 5-1 record. The Colonels have never lost at home on 11/14, going 3-0, all in conference. 

1981    Southeastern La. -- W -- 29-17 -- A
1987    McNeese St. -- W-- 29-7-- A
1992    Northwestern St.* -- L -- 6-44 -- A
1998    Stephen F. Austin* -- W -- 14-7 -- H
2009    Northwestern St.* -- W -- 28-21 -- H
2010    Northwestern St.* -- W -- 37-7 -- H


SCOUTING THE BEARS

• Central Arkansas heads to Thibodaux with a three-game winning streak, which upped its record to 6-1 in league play. After falling to undefeated McNeese, the Bears won at Lamar (35-17) before notching a pair of wins in Conway against Southeastern La. (21-16) and Stephen F. Austin (36-24).

• The Bears have taken care of the ball so far this season, ranking fifth in the FCS in turnover margin. UCA has surrendered the ball only 9 times this season, including just two interceptions, versus 20 takeaways. The Bears lead the Southland with 16 INTs.

• The Bear offense is led by RB Blake Veasley and WR Desmond Smith. Blake ranks 33rd in the FCS in rushing yards (737) and 23rd in rushing TDs (9), while Smith is 30th in receiving yards (737) and 20th in receptions per game (6.6).

• UCA's defense ranks second in the SLC in points allowed, and third in rush defense and total defense. The Bears are led by All-American defensive end Jonathan Woodard, who has a team-high 4.0 sacks.


LAST MEETING
Sept. 27, 2014
Central Arkansas 52, Nicholls 18

CONWAY, Ark. – The Nicholls State University football team trailed by 12 points early in the second half in its Southland Conference opener at Central Arkansas, but the Bears scored 28 consecutive points to defeat the Colonels, 52-18, on Saturday at Estes Stadium. (RECAP)

NICH vs UCA SERIES HISTORY

Series Record:  Central Arkansas leads 7-2
in Thibodaux:  UCA leads 3-2
First Meeting:  8/31/00 @ NICH; NICH 52-44
Last Meeting:  9/27/14 @ UCA; UCA, 52-18
Most Points Scored (combined):  90, 2013
Most Points Scored by NICH:  34, 2013
Most Points Scored by UCA:  63, 2014


LAST OUTING
Nov. 7, 2015
Nicholls 30, Lamar 28

BEAUMONT, Texas – The Nicholls State University football team and Lamar combined to rush for 783 yards and eight touchdowns, but the game came down to special teams as Francisco Condado's 28-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter lifted the Colonels to a thrilling 30-28 victory Saturday night at Provost Umphrey Stadium. (RECAP)


SOUTHLAND WEEKLY CONFERENCE CALL (COACH REBOWE STARTS AT THE 13:50 MARK)


UP NEXT

Nicholls will make the short trip to Hammond for the annual River Bell Classic against Southeastern Louisiana. The game is scheduled for Thursday night (Nov. 19) and will kickoff at 6 p.m.