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.
 
After Condado's field goal at the 2:46 mark, Lamar (4-5, 3-4 SLC) marched down the field to put itself in position for a victory. Following a pass interference that moved the ball into the red zone, Nicholls (2-7, 2-5 SLC) kept the Cardinals out of the end zone on the next three plays. LU called a timeout with 3 seconds remaining in the game to set up a 23-yard field goal by Alex Ball, but the ball sailed right of the upright and the Colonels stormed the field in jubilation as the clock expired.
 
Not only was the victory the first for the Colonels in Beaumont in the short series with Lamar, but the win put to rest two more losing skids for the Red and Gray. Nicholls ended an 18-game road losing streak in conference games, and also snapped its 17-game skid in away contests.
 
While Lamar's Kade Harrington showed why he is the nation's top running back as he finished with 255 yards rushing and two touchdowns, the Colonels racked up a season-high 415  yards on the ground. Tobias Lofton led the way with a career-high 154 yards and a score on 17 carries, while Michael Henry was a workhorse, grinding out 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 31 carries.
 
Starting quarterback Tuskani Figaro ran for 75 yards on his only carry of the game, but was injured on the play and did not return. In relief, senior Landry Klann rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 144 yards passing on 10 of 20 attempts.
 
Harrington struck first for the home team, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game. But Nicholls needed less than a minute to tie it up as Figaro's rush put the Colonels inside the 5, and Henry ran untouched from two yards out. The fireworks then continued in the opening quarter as Harrington broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown, putting LU up 14-7.
 
Early in the second, LU quarterback Carson Earp joined the party as he ran 72 yards for a touchdown, making the score 21-7. However, Nicholls answered with its own long run as Lofton sprinted past the Cardinal defenders for an 82-yard touchdown. The rush by Lofton was the longest for the Colonels' this season, surpassing Figaro's 80-yard touchdown run against Sam Houston.
 
On the ensuing possession, Lamar looked to be on its way to add to the lead, but Ahmani Martin intercepted a pass by Joe Minden in the end zone. The Cardinals did have a chance for a field goal before the half, but Ball missed on a 46-yard attempt as time expired.
 
To start the third, Charles Henderson came through with a big kick return for Nicholls, running 40 yards to midfield. Henry would tie the game at 21 after finding the end zone for the second time, scoring from nine yards out.
 
The tie was short-lived; however, as Harrington rushed 44 yards to set up a touchdown run by Minden. But the Colonels had an answer once again, this time using the passing game to move the ball down the field. On a second-and-six, Klann threw a deep pass to C.J. Bates, and Bates out-leaped a pair of defenders for a 41-yard catch. Klann then finished off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, but Condado's extra point hit the upright, leaving the score at 28-27 Lamar.
 
In the fourth, the Colonels gambled deep in their own territory with a fake punt on a fourth-and-one, but Chris Sciambra picked up 25 extra yards to keep the drive going. Nicholls went for it again on a fourth-and-five from the LU 33, but came up empty on a pass from Klann to Joseph Keller.
 
On the next drive, the Colonels caught a break as Earp fumbled the ball at the Nicholls 30 and the defense came up with a turnover with seven minutes to go. The Colonel running backs then took over as Henry rushed for 18- and 11-yard gains, and Lofton tacked on a 15-yard rush. The Colonels settled for Condado's 28-yard field goal for their first lead of the night.
 
On the game's final drive, Lamar ran the two-minute drill, throwing quick passes toward the sidelines to move the chains. After the pass interference call that moved the ball to the Nicholls 11, the Colonels bottled up Harrington three times, allowing only four yards. With the rain and wind playing a factor the entire game, nothing was guaranteed in the kicking game as Ball's chip shot was wide to end the contest.
 
Bates led the Colonel receivers with 48 yards on two receptions, while Terry Lucas Jr. added three grabs for 44 yards. On defense, B.T. Sanders recorded 13 tackles and Martin added 10.
 
Nicholls will wrap up its home schedule on Senior Day against Central Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 14. The game will air on the American Sports Network, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. For tickets, please visit geauxcolonels.com or call the Nicholls Ticket Office at 985-448-4790.