CONWAY, Ark. – Nicholls State University senior
C.J. Bates set a new career-high with 187 yards receiving and added two touchdowns, but two costly turnovers by the Colonels led to a pair of scores by No. 13 Central Arkansas as Nicholls fell, 31-24, Saturday evening at Estes Stadium.
With the loss, Nicholls stands at 5-5 overall and 5-3 in the Southland. UCA improved to 9-1 overall, 8-0 in conference and extended its winning streak in the series to eight games.
Bates, who had a 45-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, gave Nicholls a 21-17 lead in the fourth after catching a heave by
Chase Fourcade en route to an 80-yard touchdown. But UCA took the lead back on a touchdown and then extended it on a 79-yard interception return for a score for a 31-21 advantage with eight minutes to go.
Nicholls made it a one possession game on a 46-yard field goal by
David McKey with five minutes remaining and the defense was able to get a stop, giving Nicholls the ball back with two minutes left on the clock. On the third play of the drive, Fourcade connected with Bates for a potential game-tying 38-yard touchdown, but Bates was flagged for pass interference. Facing a fourth-and-29, UCA sealed the win with its third interception of the quarter.
Fourcade totaled 340 yards passing and added 66 yards on the ground in the loss, completing 22-of-46 passes and had the two touchdowns to Bates. After setting a career-high with 179 yards two weeks against at Northwestern State, Bates needed just nine catches to set a new mark. The career day also put Bates past 1,000 yards in just two seasons, placing him 10th on the all-time receiving list with 1,099 yards.
The Colonels held UCA to 382 yards on offense, but had trouble slowing down Bear running back Carlos Blackman. The freshman found the end zone twice in the second half, finishing with 108 all-purpose yards on 10 touches.
Both teams had scoring opportunities early in the game and neither could convert. Central Arkansas attempted a fake field goal on the opening drive, but Demond Smith dropped the ball on a wide-open pass. Nicholls then put together a 65-yard drive, but McKey missed a chip shot field goal from 25 yards. UCA added to the special teams struggles in the first with a missed 39-yard field goal.
In the second, McKey was short on a 48-yarder before UCA scored the game's first points on a 32-yard field goal by Matt Cummins. On the next possession, Bates caught the ball at midfield, shook loose from a defender and sprinted 45 yards for the 7-3 lead.
Right before the half, the Bear defense forced a fumble by
Mason Boudreaux, leading to a 1-yard touchdown run by Antwon Wells with 30 seconds until the break.
Nicholls answered right away in the third as
Kyran Irvin scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 1-yarder. The touchdown capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive, giving Nicholls a 14-10 lead.
At the end of the third, UCA went back up, 17-14, on a 1-yard Plunge by Blackman.
Although the Colonel defense saw its interception streak come to an end, Nicholls picked up three sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Allen Pittman continued his terror with a career-high 19 tackles, and
Sully Laiche added two sacks to his stellar freshman campaign. Laiche also forced a fumble on one of the sacks, which was recovered by Pittman.
Darryl Adams led the secondary with three pass breakups.
Facing the nation's top-ranked rush defense, the Colonels totaled 131 yards on the ground, led by Fourcade.
C.J. Okpalobi ran for 60 on 11 carries as the team averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Along with Bates,
Josh Singleton added 61 yards on five catches and
Jarrell Rogers had 55 on five receptions.
Nicholls will close out the regular season in the annual River Bell Classic against Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday, Nov. 17 at John L. Guidry Stadium. The game will be a Black Out and kicks off at 6 p.m.
