#FIRSTFIVE
• The Nicholls Colonels (3-3, 3-1 SLC) will host top-ranked Sam Houston State on Saturday, Oct. 22 in John L. Guidry Stadium, with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. The Colonels are off to their best start in conference play since their championship run in 2005, which is also the last time they went undefeated at home. Nicholls faces a Bearkat team that leads the FCS in scoring at 54.8 points per game and has yet to lose on the season with a 6-0 record (5-0 SLC). The contest will air nationally on the American Sports Network, stream on Southland.org and can be listened to on ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM.
• For the second consecutive week, Nicholls needed double overtime to knock off its opponent as the Colonels outlasted HBU on the road, 33-30. The Colonels were able to respond to a late Husky touchdown with a field goal to tie it up at 27-all. Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime before HBU took a 30-27 lead with a field goal in the second. Senior RB
C.J. Okpalobi ended the game for the Colonels on a 12-yard touchdown run, upping their conference record to 3-1 on the season.
• The Colonels are 3-3 at home under
Tim Rebowe, helped by a perfect 2-0 mark this season. Nicholls has only went undefeated at home twice - both times resulting in conference championships. The Colonels had a 5-0 record in 1975 as the program claimed its only Gulf Coast Conference title, and in 2005, Nicholls ran the table at home with four wins to earn a share of the Southland championship.
• Since nearly defeating FBS Georgia in its season opener, Nicholls has received votes in the FCS Stats Top 25 poll for six consecutive weeks. The latest poll, released on Monday, had the Colonels 37th in the nation with a total of 19 points.
• Nicholls Athletics will induct its 2016 Hall of Fame class on Saturday. Joining the exclusive club are Leanne Beeler (softball, 1989-1992), Anatoly Bose (men's basketball, 2007-11), Kenny "Meatball" Ortolano (football, 1975-78), Leah Peterson (softball, 2003-07) and Yale Vannoy (football, 2002-05). Both Ortolano and Vannoy where part of championship teams for Colonel football. (
STORY)
BY THE NUMBERS
3 - The Colonels have scored three non-offensive touchdowns this season. Nicholls scored two at South Alabama - a 33-yd INT return by
Chris Major and a 51-yd return by
Christian Boutte on a blocked FG. Last week at HBU,
Ronald Ollie returned a blocked FG 84 yards for a touchdown
5 - Nicholls has played a total of five overtimes this season - one game going to a single OT and two going double . Before this season, the last game that did not end in regulation was a four-overtime victory at Texas State in 2010. The Colonels' loss at South Alabama would have probably went into double OT as well, but Nicholls went for 2 instead of kicking the extra point
6 - Since 2000, there have been only five quarterbacks to throw for 1,000 yards in a single season. Freshman
Chase Fourcade became No. 6 after his 208-yard outing against the Huskies last Saturday
20.8 - Sophomore
Damion Jeanpiere has had a remarkable start to his career, averaging 20.8 yards per reception. In eight games played, he has 540 yards receiving and five TDs on 26 receptions. He recorded his second-longest TD catch at HBU, scoring on a 50-yarder
44 - Junior
David McKey kicked a career-best 44-yard field goal in the double OT win at HBU. McKey's previous long was 37 yards. On the season, he is 7-of-10 and his 35-yarder with 6 seconds left at HBU sent the game into OT
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls has a 1-3 record all-time on Oct. 22. The Colonels defeated Austin Peay on the road in 1977. In the last contest on 10/22, Chika Madu returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against SFA.
1977 -- Austin Peay -- W -- 15-13 -- A
1983 -- Illinois State --Â L -- 29-34 -- H
1994 -- Texas State -- L -- 26-27 -- A
2011 -- Stephen F. Austin -- L -- 21-57 -- H
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
• Sam Houston took over the No. 1 spot in the FCS polls after top-ranked North Dakota State lost over the weekend. The Bearkats are one of two teams in the top 10 that are undefeated, joined by No. 5/6 The Citadel.
• The Bearkats improved to 5-0 in Southland play after an easy 48-21 victory over Abilene Christian. Sam Houston's lone non-conference win came against Oklahoma Panhandle State, 59-21.
• Sam Houston features the nation's top scoring offense, averaging 54.8 points per game. The Bearkats are also second in passing offense, pumping out 363.0 yards per game.
• QB Jeremiah Briscoe leads the FCS in touchdown passes with 26 on the year. He is also tops in yards per completion with 9.77.
• The Bearkat defense is led by All-American DE P.J. Hall. After six games, Hall ranks 15th in the FCS with 11.5 tackles for loss.
ALL-TIME SERIES vs SHSU
Series Record: Â Â SHSU leads 19-10-1
in Thibodaux: Â Â SHSU leads 8-7-1
First Meeting: Â Â 9/15/79 @ NICH ; NICH 29-10
Last Meeting: Â Â 10/24/15 @ SHSU ; SHSU 37-7
Most Points Scored (combined): Â Â 86, 1999
Most Points Scored by NICH: Â Â 38, 1986
Most Points Scored by SHSU: Â Â 69, 1999
LAST OUTING
Oct. 15, 2016
Nicholls 33, HBU 30 (2 OT)
HOUSTON, Texas – Senior
C.J. Okpalobi rushed for 103 yards with the final 12 leading to the game-winning touchdown as the Nicholls State University football team defeated HBU in double overtime, 33-30, on Saturday night at Husky Stadium. (
RECAP)
BEST OF THE BEST
While the Colonels have never played at home as the No. 1 team, they have hosted the top-ranked team twice. In 1995, McNeese came to town with the honor and defeated the Colonels, 31-6. In 1999, Nicholls was defeated by former Southland member Troy, 20-0.
MCKEY TO SUCCESS
In his first season as the Colonels' place kicker, junior
David McKey has connected on 7-of-10 field goals. Last week at HBU, he made a career-long 44-yarder and nailed a 35-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. McKey currently ranks 25th in the FCS with 1.17 field goals per game.
9000 STRONG
The home crowd has been a huge asset for the Colonels this season, as both games have resulted in a reported attendance of at least 8,000 people. In the win over SFA, the home side completely sold out, resulting in the Colonels playing in front of the biggest crowd since 2003. The SFA Homecoming game had 9,002 spectators, while the game in 2003 drew 10,650. The largest crowd ever was in 1981 against Southern (14,125).
DEJA VU???
The Colonels' 2016 campaign has started out a lot like their 2005 championship season. In both cases, Nicholls almost upset a team from a Power 5 conference to start the season (Indiana '05, Georgia '16). They then went on to win the second game, before dropping the next two. In '05, the Colonels won their last five conference games to finish at 5-1 and earn a share of the title.Â
UP NEXT
The Colonels hit the road to take on rival Northwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.
