THIBODAUX, La. – Facing a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the Nicholls State University football team gave the home crowd their money's worth as the Colonels rallied for two touchdowns against Central Arkansas before coming up six yards short of the game-winning score as time expired in a 34-31 loss Saturday night at John L. Guidry Stadium.
 
The loss dropped Nicholls' record to 2-8 overall and 2-6 in the Southland, while Central Arkansas remained in the hunt for a share of the Southland Conference title at 7-3 on the year and 7-1 in conference.
 
The Colonels honored 23 seniors before the game and none had a bigger night than quarterback Landry Klann. After two season-ending injuries and position switches to linebacker and back to quarterback, Klann logged his first start at Guidry Stadium since the final game of 2012. He finished the night with 30 completions on 47 attempts, 368 yards passing and four touchdowns – all career highs.
 
With Nicholls trailing 34-17 early in the fourth after Blake Veasley (141 yards rushing) found the end zone for the second time, Klann tossed two touchdown passes – a 51-yarder to senior Terry Lucas Jr., and a 17-yard strike to Stephen LeBouef – to pull Nicholls within three with six minutes remaining. Nicholls then forced a punt deep in UCA territory after a sack by Lazarus Ona, but was unable to capitalize and turned the ball over on downs at midfield.
 
But the defense held on three straight runs and UCA punted in the end zone for a touchback, giving Nicholls the ball at its own 20 with 55 seconds remaining. Klann completed three passes and Michael Henry picked up two yards on a fourth-down conversion, ultimately putting the Colonels at 3rd-and-10 from their 41 with only seconds left. Klann hit Charles Henderson for a completion, which started a chain of seven laterals, ending with Klann being tackled at the UCA 40. However, UCA was flagged for offside, giving Nicholls the ball at their own 46 with zeros on the clock and one untimed play remaining.
 
The Colonels elected to go for the Hail Mary as Klann heaved the ball down field and Jarrell Rogers came down with it at the six; however, he was tackled immediately as UCA escaped with the three-point victory.
 
After rushing for a season-high 415 yards in the win at Lamar last weekend, Nicholls was held to just 10 yards against Central Arkansas. The yardage was helped by UCA's pass defense, which recorded five sacks for a loss of 35 yards. The Colonels had three sacks, two by Geoffrey Hebert and one by Ona, and were credited with three forced fumbles.
The first quarter was almost like a boxing match as the teams were feeling each other out in the early going, resulting in a lone field goal by UCA with 11 ticks left on the clock. But in the second quarter, Colonel receiver C.J. Bates wowed the crowd with an electrifying touchdown reception. Although it went for just 15 yards, Bates caught the ball on the far sideline, juked two defenders and stretched the ball across the goal line for a touchdown as he headed out of bounds. Bates had a career night as well, hauling in 11 catches for 112 yards and two scores.
 
The Colonels then tried to surprise the Bears with an onside kick, but UCA recovered it and ran it to the 22. On the next play, Jatavious Wilson rushed in for  a touchdown, putting UCA up 10-7 at the 10:17 mark.
 
Nicholls tied the score on a 23-yard field goal by Francisco Condado, but an unfortunate bounce on a UCA punt hit a Colonel blocker and was recovered by UCA inside the Colonel 30. Two plays later, Justin Dickey caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Hayden Hildebrand. UCA would go into the break leading 17-10.
 
On the opening possession in the third, Hebert stripped Hildenbrand on a sack, and the ball fell into Ona's hands who returned it three yards to the UCA 9. On third-and-goal, Klann and Bates connected in the back corner of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown, tying the game at 17.
 
UCA quickly took back the lead on a 33-yard field goal by Jace Denker and then came up with a big interception for another short field. On a third down, Klann's pass was broken up, tipped twice by two Bear defenders and Bobby Watkins came up with the pick, returning it 20 yards to the Nicholls 6. On the next play, Veasley ran untouched for a touchdown, making the score 27-17 with 7:39 on the clock.
 
Veasley then set up a fourth-quarter touchdown, rushing the ball 34 yards to move into Nicholls territory. The Nicholls defense stuffed the Bears at the 1 on three straight runs, but Veasley was able to find enough room on fourth down to put UCA up 34-17.
 
With just over 10 minutes to go, Darius Knight ignited the team with a forced fumble at midfield, which was recovered by Ahmani Martin. Knight and Martin led Nicholls on the day with nine tackles each. On the next play, Lucas caught a pass on the sideline, snuck by two defenders and raced down the field for a 51-yard touchdown. Klann's fourth and final TD pass went to LeBouef at the 6:13 mark.
 
Klann's 300-yard game was not only a career-high, but he was the first Colonel quarterback to throw for over 300 in a game since Sept. 18, 2010 when LaQuinton Caston completed the feat at South Alabama.
 
The Colonels will close out the season in the River Bell Classic against Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday, Nov. 19. Kickoff in Hammond is scheduled for 6 p.m.