No. 16/17 Nicholls Colonels (6-3, 5-2 SLC) vs. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (2-6, 2-5 SLC)
Thibodaux, Louisiana (Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. CT
Nicholls Game Notes (PDF) | SFA Game Notes (PDF)
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TV: Cox Sports TV (Affiliates); DirecTv 789 (Black Restrictions - See Coverage Map
Stream: ESPN3 (Link) Blackout Map
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: Order
online or call 985-448-4790
FIRST FIVE
• The Nicholls State University football team looks to stay in contention for the Southland Conference title, hosting Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium. Nicholls has won two straight game and aims to stay perfect at home where its has a 3-0 record. The game will be televised on Cox Sports TV, and can be streamed on ESPN3 for viewers outside of the CST region.
• Nicholls played its final regular season road game last weekend and HBU, and brought back a dominating 41-20 win over the Huskies. The Colonels totaled a season high 616 yards of offense and the defense smothered HBU for -21 yards rushing. Nicholls held a 27-0 lead at halftime and led 41-7 in the third quarter. With the win, it marked the second straight season that the Colonels won three road games.
• Stephen F. Austin has struggled with wins this season, posting a 2-6 overall record and 2-5 in the Southland. The Lumberjacks snapped a three-game skid in conference with a 42-14 win over HBU on Oct. 20, but lost their last game at home against Lamar, 24-17. In the nonconference, SFA lost to Mississippi State (63-6) and had its other contest against Tarleton State canceled due to weather.
• Although Nicholls has won the last two meetings against SFA, the 'Jacks still have a strangled hold on the all-time series with a 25-9 advantage. Heading into the 2016 matchup, SFA had won eight straight in the series before Nicholls won a double-overtime thriller in Thibodaux, 35-28, to snap the streak. The Colonels then won two-straight for only the second time in the series with a 34-13 victory in Nacogdoches last season.
• For the first time this season, Nicholls is the highest ranked team in the AFCA and STATS FCS Top 25 Polls. Back-to-back blowout wins put Nicholls at No. 16/17, just ahead of McNeese which fell to No. 18 in both polls. The Southland had four teams ranked for the entire season, but the losses by Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas last weekend dropped the two programs out of the top 25.
BY THE NUMBERS
8.3 -- Running back
Dontrell Taylor recorded his third 100-yard game in the last four contests, and needed only nine carries against HBU to reach 104 yards. On the season, Taylor is averaging an impressive 8.3 yards per carry and leads the team with 582 yards rushing.
24.5 -- Junior defensive lineman
Sully Laiche matched his career high with 3.0 sacks at HBU, giving him 24.5 for his career. Laiche's total puts his tied for second on the active FCS career list, and 6.5 behind North Dakota State's Greg Menard (31.0).
63 -- Quarterback
Chase Fourcade has accounted for nine touchdowns over the last two games - 6 passing and 3 rushing - and now has been responsible for 63 touchdowns in his career. With 46 passing TDs and 17 on the ground, Fourcade needs just four more to break Doug Hudson's program record, who had 58 passing and 8 rushing.
82.0 -- Nicholls has racked up 82.0 tackles for loss on the season, ranking second in the FCS with 9.1. Thirty-five of the tackles have been sacks, which also ranks in the top 3 of the FCS. In the win against HBU, the Colonels have a season-high 7 sacks and 10 TFLs, marking the third time this season Nicholls has reached double figures.
1,241 -- The Colonels' success this season has been determined by the ground game as they have a plus-1,241 yard advantage in rushing in their six victories. All three losses on the road this season saw Tulane, McNeese and Abilene Christian outrush the Colonels. In the six victories, Nicholls combined to outrush the opposition by a combined 1,661 yards to 410. Under Coach Rebowe, Nicholls is 10-3 when surpassing 200 yards rushing and 15-3 when a player rushes for 100 yards.
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS
• Stephen F. Austin is 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the Southland Conference, picking up wins against Abilene Christian and HBU. The Lumberjacks last played two weeks ago at home against red-hot Lamar, falling to the Cardinals, 24-17. SFA had a bye last weekend.
• The Lumberjacks bring the Southland's top passing defense to Thibodaux at 215.9 yards per game. SFA surrendered less than 100 yards in the air twice this season, but against Lamar, the 'Jacks allowed a season-high 369 yards rushing.
• Quarterback Jake Blumrick heads the SFA offense, averaging 209.3 yards passing with 8 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions. In the last three games, Blumrick has two 300-yard games, including a season-high 358 yards at UCA.
• SFA is led by interim head coach Jeff Byrd, who served as defensive coordinator in 2017. Byrd took over the reins during the summer and made his head coaching debut on Sept. 1 at Mississippi State. Before going to Nacogdoches, Byrd was the DC at UT Martin for five seasons.
A WIN OVER SFA WOULD...
... give Coach Rebowe his 21st win in conference (20-14).
... be the 10th win all-time vs. the 'Jacks and give Nicholls its first three-game winning streak.
... make Nicholls 13-6 at home in Rebowe's tenure.
... improve Rebowe's record vs. Texas schools to 17-7 (currently 2-1 vs. SFA).
... put coach
Tim Rebowe's overall record to 23-21 in his three-plus seasons.
... give Nicholls its ninth consecutive regular season home win.
... be the Colonels' ninth season with 7 or more wins.
... increase the Colonels' winning streak to three games.
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls is 2-5 on Nov. 10, but only two of the games have been at home. The Colonels were defeated by Grambling in Thibodaux in 2001; however, Nicholls won the last matchup at Guidry Stadium vs. Texas State, 52-38.
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
W/L |
SCORE |
H/A |
| 1973 |
ULM |
L |
37-0 |
A |
| 1979 |
Southeastern La. |
L |
38-0 |
A |
| 1984 |
Texas State |
W |
30-14 |
A |
| 1990 |
Troy |
L |
31-23 |
A |
| 2001 |
Grambling |
L |
38-27 |
H |
| 2007 |
Texas State |
W |
52-28 |
H |
| 2012 |
Lamar |
L |
34-24 |
A |
LAST MEETING
Nov. 11, 2017
No. 17 Nicholls 34, Stephen F. Austin 13
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Behind career-high rushing efforts from
Kyran Irvin and
Tahj Smith, the Nicholls State University football team racked up a season-high 418 yards on the ground while the defense turned in another outstanding effort in a 34-13 victory against Stephen F. Austin Saturday at Homer Bryce Stadium. (
RECAP)
LAST OUTING
Nov. 3, 2018
No. 19/20 Nicholls 41, HBU 20
HOUSTON - A dominating all-around performance by the No. 20 Nicholls State University football team led to its second convincing win in a row as the Colonels defeated HBU, 41-20, Saturday afternoon in Husky Stadium. (
RECAP)
FAST START
HC
Tim Rebowe emphasized during the bye week the importance of starting fast and the Colonels have did just that in the last two games.
Dontrell Taylor ran 66 yards for a score on the first play of the game against UIW, and the Colonels recovered fumbles on the Cardinals' 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. Against HBU, Nicholls held a 10-0 lead after the first, 27-0 at the intermission and a 34-0 lead in the third. Under Rebowe, Nicholls is 14-4 when scoring first and 14-4 when leading at the half.
FONSECA BREAKS ANOTHER RECORD
After a bit of a slow start to his senior campaign, kicker
Lorran Fonseca has made all of his kick attempts in the last two weeks, connecting on four field goals and 11 extra points. Int he first quarter at HBU, Fonseca lined up for a career long field goal attempt, which would have been 1 yard past his career best. But a penalty pushed it back and he was able to still get the ball over the crossbar for a school record 56-yarder. Kyle Leisher had the previous best, set in 1999.
TAYLOR MADE
Junior
Dontrell Taylor continues to impress in the running game, leading the team in rushing yards and an impressive 8.3 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 home game against UIW, rushed for a 66-yard score to begin the game and finished with 117 on just six carries. Taylor had only nine carries at HBU, good enough for 104 yards. Taylor is also strong in the classroom, posting a 3.75 GPA in petroleum technology.
NICHOLLS FOOTBALL ON TWITTER
For the latest news and in-game updates, be sure to follow the team on Twitter
@Nicholls_FB.
PROMOTIONS
• Saturday's contest will be Military Appreciation Day, with military and first responders receiving discounted tickets, and Youth Sports Day. $5 tickets will be available for any child wearing their team jersey.
• The 2018 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted before the game. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Danos Theather in Talbot Hall. The five-member class includes Terry Magee (football, 1972-75), Michael Mulligan (baseball, 1975-77), Jay Thomas (football coach, 2004-09), Alex L. Parra (men's soccer, 1981-84), and Anthony Tuggle (football, 1982-84).
• Following the game, there will be a special fireworks show.
