No. 17/RV Nicholls Colonels (7-2, 6-1 SLC) at Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (4-5, 4-3 SLC)
Nacogdoches, Texas (Homer Bryce Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 11 | 3 p.m. CT
Nicholls Game Notes | SFA Game Notes
Audio: 100.3 FM KLRZ
Stream: ESPN3
Live Stats
FIRST FIVE
• The 2017 Nicholls State University football team closes out its regular season with two games on the road, starting Saturday at Stephen F. Austin. The Colonels will have to continue bucking the trend of its struggles in the past as they have had little success in Nacogdoches, winning just three times in 17 matchups. Scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff, the game will be streamed on ESPN3 and can be listened to on ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM.
• Nicholls stepped into uncharted territory with its thrilling 23-17 victory over HBU, winning six league games for the first time since joining the Southland in 1992. Although the Huskies were winless in league play, the visitors proved to be a more than formidable opponent by leading for most of the night and then tying the game on a late field goal. Nicholls was hoping to get in field goal range for their kicker, Lorran Fonseca, but got much more as Dai'Jean Dixon slipped behind the defense and scored on a 44-yard touchdown as time expired for the win.
• Saturday's contest will be the 34th meeting between the programs, with SFA holding a significant 25-8 advantage. The Lumberjacks had won eight straight in the series before the Colonels snapped the drought with a double-overtime victory, 35-28, last season in Thibodaux. The 2015 contest in Nacogdoches was also a nail-biter as SFA scored in the final minute for a 28-24 victory, denying Nicholls head coach
Tim Rebowe his first career victory. The last time Nicholls earned a win at Homer Bryce Stadium was in 2007 when the nationally-ranked Colonels led 17-9 at the break before holding on for a 17-16 victory.
• Nicholls maintained its spot at No. 17 in the Coaches Top 25 Poll following the 23-17 win over HBU. The Colonels made their debut in the polls for the first time in 10 years at No. 23 after their win against Prairie View A&M (Sept. 16). Following a loss to No. 3 Sam Houston, the Colonels fell out but quickly returned the next week at No. 25 with a win at Lamar. Nicholls climbed to No. 20 before dropping back down to No. 23 after the bye week. The No. 17 ranking is the highest for the Colonels since they were the No. 13 team in 2007.
• The matchup with Stephen F. Austin is the eighth game for the Colonels this season against a team from Texas. Nicholls has enjoyed success in 2017 versus the Lone Star state with a 5-2 record, helped by its current 4-game streak against the state. The first setback was in a close 24-14 decision at Texas A&M, but the Colonels responded with a convincing 44-13 win over Prairie A&M at home. After a loss at Sam Houston, the Colonels went on to defeat Lamar, Abilene Christian, and HBU. Head coach
Tim Rebowe is 12-6 versus Texas programs in his three years at Nicholls.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 - The Colonels have one native of Texas on their 2017 roster - junior wide receiver
Mason Roberts. A graduate of Cy-Woods, Roberts has several highlights against teams from his home state. He hauled in a two-point conversion to tie the game at Texas A&M; had his first career TD on a 62-yard catch against Prairie View; and had a 68-yard TD at UIW for his first 100-yard game (106y, 3r).
1.67 - Lorran Fonseca continued his outstanding campaign with three more field goals vs. HBU and currently ranks 2nd in the FCS with 1.67 made per game. Fonseca is 15-of-19 on the year (.789), which ranks 21st in percentage in the FCS, and is one shy of tying the program's single-season mark held by Jose Bran ('90).
8 - The Colonels have eight interceptions on the season - all by different players. Evan Veron and Austin Dickerson added to the total in the win over HBU.
Ahmani Martin looked to have made in nine by nine, but his pick was negated due to a roughing the passer.
2010 - The Colonel defense recorded a safety for the first time since 2010 in their win over HBU. After Nicholls failed on a two-point try in the fourth quarter, DT Marcel Andry came up with a sack in the end zone to push the lead to 17-14. The last safety before that was recorded on Nov. 13 at Northwestern State as Shawn Elrod forced an intentional grounding in the end zone.
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls has a 1-3 record on Nov. 11, including a three-point loss to SFA in 2006. The Colonels led in the game before the 'Jacks scored on a 42-yard pass with 40 seconds remaining.
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
W/L |
SCORE |
H/A |
| 1972 |
Lamar |
L |
22-15 |
A |
| 1978 |
Southeastern La. |
L |
10-0 |
N |
| 1989 |
Samford |
W |
23-17 |
H |
| 2006 |
Stephen F. Austin |
L |
16-13 |
H |
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS
• SFA heads into its final home game with a two-game winning streak following victories over HBU and Lamar. Before that, the 'Jacks dropped three straight against ranked Southland foes - McNeese, Sam Houston and Central Arkansas.
• The 'Jacks are coached by Clint Conque, who was a Hall of Fame linebacker at Nicholls. Conque took over the program at SFA after coaching at Central Arkansas for 14 seasons. He has an 8-3 record against his alma matar and is 2-1 at SFA.
• The offense is headed by running back Kijana Amous with 511 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Amous is averaging 4.6 yards per tote also has 28 receptions for 253 yards. His best game of the season was a 142-yard effort in the near upset over first-place UCA.
• SFA's defense features one of the league's top playmakers - Alize Ward. The 'Jacks leading tackler, Ward had nine pass breakups and four interceptions - including one returned 67 yards for a touchdown as time expired for a win over UIW.
LAST MEETING
Oct. 8, 2016
Nicholls 35, Stephen F. Austin 28 (2ot)
THIBODAUX, La. – For the second time in three weeks, the Nicholls State University football team needed overtime to determine a winner, but this time, clutch plays by freshmen
Chase Fourcade and
Sully Laiche lifted the Colonels to a 35-28 double-overtime victory over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday at John L. Guidry Stadium. (
RECAP)
LAST OUTING
Nov. 4, 2017
Nicholls 23, HBU 17
THIBODAUX, La. – After HBU tied the game with 23 seconds remaining, sophomore
Chase Fourcade floated a pass down the sideline to freshman
Dai'Jean Dixon for a 44-yard touchdown as time expired, lifting the No. 17 Nicholls State University football team to a 23-17 victory Saturday at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium. (
RECAP)
A WIN OVER SFA WOULD...
... put the Colonels at 8-2, which would be their best start since the 1986 season (8-2)
... push Nicholls' winning streak to six games, its longest since '86 (8)
... be the most wins for Nicholls since the 1996 campaign (8-4)
... extend their new record for Southland wins in a season to seven (won 5 in '05 and '16)
... give
Tim Rebowe his 16th career victory
... be the 15th SLC win in the Rebowe era (2015-). Colonels had nine victories in league play in the previous 7 seasons
... improve Rebowe's record vs. Texas schools to 13-6
... be just the fourth road win in the series in 18 matchups
TAYLOR MADE
Sophomore Dontrell Taylor entered the season No. 1 on the depth chart at running back, but was injured in the second game at Texas A&M. Taylor made his return against Northwestern State and delivered the game-winning touchdown, scoring on a 3-yard rush with less than four minutes remaining in the game. He got the start against ACU and rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He followed up with another 100-yard effort with 103 against HBU and scored the go-ahead TD on a 3-yard rush in the fourth. Taylor, who missed half of the season last year due to injuries, has four 100-yard games, highlighted by a 169-yard effort in last season's River Bell Classic.
PERFECT AT HOME
The Colonels finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record at home. Surprisingly, it marked just the third time in program history that the team went undefeated at John L. Guidry Stadium. The other two teams to complete the feat were the 1975 and 2005 championship squads.
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