No. 20 Nicholls Colonels (5-3, 4-2 SLC) vs. HBU Huskies (1-7, 0-6 SLC)
Houston, Texas (Husky Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 3 at 2:05 p.m. CT
Nicholls Game Notes | HBU Game Notes
Audio: 100.3 FM KLRZ | 105.9 FM KBZE
Stream: Southland Digital Network
Live Stats
FIRST FIVE
• The Nicholls State University football team will play its final road game of the regular season as it heads to Houston to take on HBU. The Colonels are looking to stay in the Southland Conference race as they are in a logjam for second, while HBU aims for its first win in league play. Kickoff in Husky Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed on the Southland Digital Network. The radio broadcasts include ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM and KBZE 105.9 FM.
• Nicholls got the most out of its bye week and went on to pummel UIW, 48-21, last week for Homecoming. The Cardinals headed to Thibodaux tied for first in the standings after their impressive blowout win over McNeese, but nothing went right for the visitors against Nicholls.
Dontrell Taylor scored on a 66-yard touchdown to start the game and the Colonels led 38-7 at the half. Most of the starters rested in the fourth, including quarterback
Chase Fourcade who was 15 of 18 for 266 yards and a career high four touchdown passes.
• HBU has dropped its last 16 Southland Conference games, but has come up just short several times. Last weekend at Northwestern State, HBU's Ladarius Dickens caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter for a 28-10 advantage over the Demons, but NSU answered with three touchdowns for the comeback 31-28 victory. HBU's lone win this season came in their season opener against Southwest Baptist (49-7).
• The Colonels lead the all-time series over HBU, 3-1, helped but their current three-game winning streak. The series has featured some significant games as HBU's 31-21 win over the Colonels in 2014 was the program's first Southland victory. The Colonels, which went winless in that season and saw their losing streak grow to 23 games, avenged the loss in 2015 in Thibodaux with head coach
Tim Rebowe securing his first career win in a 38-17 decision. In 2016, Nicholls edged HBU in double overtime, 33-30, and last season, the Colonels won 23-17 on a 44-yard touchdown pass as time expired.
• The Southland Conference has four teams in the top 25 of both FCS polls - the AFCA Coaches and STATS FCS. McNeese is back in front at 12/11 after knocking off Central Arkansas, which fell to 19th in both polls. Nicholls is 20th in both, and Sam Houston is right behind at 22/21. All four teams have been ranked all season long, with Nicholls reaching as high as 10/11.
BY THE NUMBERS
1st - After being held to just a half tackle for loss against UIW,
Evan Veron still leads the FCS with 17.0. His total is helped by team-high 6.0 sacks, which also ranks 17th in the nation. He has a TFL in each game this season and had a career high 3.5 against Northwestern State and Abilene Christian.
4 - Quarterback
Chase Fourcade threw for a career high four touchdown passes in the win over UIW. With 44 career touchdown passes, he had thrown for three in five different games, but his 48-yarder to high school teammate Damion Jeanpiere, Jr. in the third quarter set a new personal best for the Metairie native.
408 - Nicholls had its best offensive start of the season, resulting in 408 yards on offense in the first half. The Colonels jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the opening quarter and were ahead 38-7 at halftime. Nicholls finished with 566 yards of offense and the starters did not play in the final quarter.
1964 - Wide receiver Damion Jeanpiere, Jr. continues to reach milestone after milestone, and is looking to become only the fourth Colonel to reach 2,000 receiving yards for their career. Jeanpiere had just three catches against UIW, but finished with 127 yards and a touchdown. He currently is tied for second for the best career yards per catch average with 18.4.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
• HBU is coming off a heartbreaking 31-38 loss against Northwestern State. The Huskies led 28-10 in the third quarter in Natchitoches before the Demons stormed back for the game's final three touchdowns.
• The Huskies are looking for their first Southland victory since the tail end of 2016 as their skid currently stands at 16 games. The last SLC win was against Stephen F. Austin (31-24) on Nov. 12, but the Huskies lost their final game of '16 before going 0-9 last year and 0-6 this season.
• HBU is one of five Southland teams averaging over 30 points per game, sitting at 31.5. The Huskies scored 34 against McNeese, 35 against Central Arkansas, and had a 52-point game in a loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
• HBU is led by sophomore quarterback Bailey Zappe. In last year's 23-17 setback to the Colonels, Zappe threw for 125 yards and a score while adding 80 yards rushing. This season, Zappe ranks third in the Southland in total offense (291.2) and is fifth in passing yards (262.1).
• The Huskies have three players ranked in the top 10 of the Southland in tackles, led by Langston Tunson's 12.7 per game. In only six games, the linebacker has 76 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 3.0 sacks.
A WIN OVER HBU WOULD...
... give Nicholls consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1984-86
... put coach
Tim Rebowe's overall record to over .500 for the first time in his career (21-21).
... give Coach Rebowe his 20th win in conference (19-14).
... improve Rebowe's record vs. Texas schools to 16-7 (currently 3-0 vs. HBU).
... up the Colonels' record in October under Rebowe to 10-7.
... give Nicholls its fourth consecutive victory over HBU, improving all-time record to 4-1.
... put Rebowe's road record at 10-14, which includes an Power 5 win at Kansas.
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls is 2-6 on Nov. 3, snapping a five-game skid on the day with a 35-10 Thursday-night win over Lamar in 2016. In the victory, Nicholls held LU to -14 rushing yards.
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
W/L |
SCORE |
H/A |
| 1973 |
Livingston |
L |
29-16 |
A |
| 1979 |
Tennessee-Martin |
W |
15-7 |
H |
| 1984 |
Lamar |
L |
20-16 |
A |
| 1990 |
Mississippi College |
L |
31-20 |
H |
| 2001 |
Stephen F. Austin |
L |
23-21 |
A |
| 2007 |
Sam Houston St. |
L |
16-13 |
A |
| 2012 |
McNeese |
L |
42-10 |
H |
| 2016 |
Lamar |
W |
35-10 |
H |
LAST MEETING
Nov. 4, 2017
No. 17 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)
LAST OUTING
Oct. 27, 2018
No. 19/20 Nicholls 48, UIW 21
THIBODAUX, La. – Junior quarterback
Chase Fourcade accounted for five touchdowns for the second straight home game and the Nicholls State University defense had a dominating performance against first-place UIW, as the Colonels rolled to a 48-21 victory on Homecoming Saturday evening at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium. (
RECAP)
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
- Colonels stayed perfect at home in regular season over last 1-plus seasons;
- 27 points tied third-largest margin of victory in SLC games;
- Fourcade w/ career high 4 TD passes and rushed for 1;
- Team set single-game record with 80% completion (16-20)
- Three straights wins vs. UIW. Leads all-time series 3-2;
- Taylor ran for 117 on 6 carries; scored on 66-yarder on first play of game; Added a 47-yd carry;
- Jeanpiere had 3 rec. for 127; 70-yd rec. and 48-yd TD;
- Defense had 5 sacks by 5 different players;
- Held UIW to 50 yards rushing;
- Team had 566 yards on offense. 408 in the first half;
- Colonels are 3-1 on Homecoming under Rebowe.
FAST START
Tim Rebowe emphasized during the bye week the importance of starting fast and the Colonels did just that.
Dontrell Taylor ran 66 yards for a score on the first play of the game, and the Colonels recovered fumbles on UIW's first two drives and turned them into touchdowns. Nicholls led 21-0 in the first quarter, 38-7 at the break, and 45-7 in the third. Under Rebowe, Nicholls is 13-4 when scoring first and 13-4 when leading at the half.
CAN'T SPELL THIBODAUX WITHOUT THE D
The Colonel defense has been one of the best in the FCS, ranking first in the Southland in league play in points (18.8) and total yards allowed (347.0). Nicholls is second in the FCS in tackles for loss with 9.0 per game and is fourth in sacks (3.5). Even including the two FBS games, the Colonels are 20th in the nation in rush defense and 27th in scoring defense.
TAYLOR MADE
Junior
Dontrell Taylor continues to impress in the running game, leading the team in rushing yards and an impressive 7.8 yards per carry. Taylor can run for the tough yards, but he's been a home-run hitter this season. He started the season with a 19-yard touchdown run against Kansas and had a 34-yarder for a score against Tulane. In the win at Northwestern State, he needed only 11 carries for 103 yards and last week against UIW, rushed for a 66-yard score to begin the game and finished with 117 on just six carries. Taylor is also strong in the classroom, posting a 3.75 GPA in petroleum technology.
MOUNT RUSHMORE
The Colonels' success this season has been determined by the rushing game. All three losses on the road this season saw Tulane, McNeese and Abilene Christian outrush the Colonels. In the five victories, Nicholls combined to outrush the opposition by a combined 1,348 yards to 431. Under Coach Rebowe, Nicholls is 9-3 when surpassing 200 yards rushing and 14-3 when a player rushes for 100 yards.
UP NEXT
Following this weekend's matchup with the Huskies, Nicholls returns home for its final two contests of the regular season, hosting Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 10) and Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 15). For tickets, visit
NichollsTickets.com or call 985-448-4790.
NICHOLLS FOOTBALL ON TWITTER
For the latest news and in-game updates, be sure to follow the team on Twitter
@Nicholls_FB.
