No. 15/15 Nicholls Colonels (4-3, 3-1 SLC) vs. Abilene Christian (4-4, 3-3 SLC)
Thibodaux, Louisiana (Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium)
Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3:00 p.m. CT
Nicholls Game Notes (PDF) | Abilene Christian Notes
TV: Cox Sports TV
Video Stream: ESPN+ (Available only outside of CST territory) (Link)
Audio: ESPN Radio New Orleans Tunein | 100.3 FM KLRZ | 105.9 FM KBZE
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: Order online or call 985-448-4790
Gameday Information
FIRST FIVE
• The No. 15 Nicholls State University football team begins a stretch of three home games in the next four weeks, hosting Abilene Christian for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Colonels have reeled off eight consecutive wins on Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium and have not lost a conference game at home since the 2016 finale. The matchup will air on Cox Sports TV and can be viewed online on ESPN+ outside of CST's territory.
• Nicholls is coming off its first scoreless game since 2015 as the Colonels fell on the road at Sam Houston State last weekend, 17-0. The game was statistically even, but the Red and Gray had three turnovers, with one leading to a touchdown by the Bearkats on their next play. As the league's top rushing team, the Colonels were limited to 55 yards on the ground and failed to put points on the board for the first time since a September loss at Colorado in
Tim Rebowe's inaugural season.
• Abilene Christian has played the most Southland games this season and is 3-3 in conference. With the exception of a 45-20 win over HBU, all of ACU's SLC contests have been decided by a touchdown or less. In last weekend's outing against Stephen F. Austin, ACU let a 10-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter before scoring a touchdown in the second overtime for a 31-24 victory.
• The Wildcats re-joined the Southland Conference in 2014 but did not play the Colonels for the first time until 2017. Both home teams came away with wins as the Colonels used a single-game record five field goals by
Lorran Fonseca to down ACU, 29-20, in Thibodaux in '17. Last year, ACU returned the favor with a 28-12 victory which was the lone setback for the Colonels in their final eight games of the regular season.
• With the Colonels falling at Sam Houston, there are now four teams in the Southland Conference with one loss in league play. Three of the four are ranked in the Coaches/FCS STATS Top 25 Polls this week -- Central Arkansas (10/12), Nicholls (15/15) and Sam Houston (25/21). Nicholls beat Central Arkansas, but like UIW, fell to the Bearkats. Sam Houston and UCA play this weekend, while the Colonels will head to UIW next Saturday. UIW, which is ranked No. 20 in the coaches poll and is just outside the media top 25 at No. 28, host UCA on Senior Day to close out the year.
BY THE NUMBERS
2 - In the four conference games, the Colonels have allowed only two rushing touchdowns by the opposition. Of the two, only one was courtesy of a running back as Jalen West scored on a 1-yarder for Northwestern State. ACU's Tracy James has rushed for eight touchdowns in the Wildcats' six SLC games.
8 - After winning all six games in Thibodaux last season and the first two in 2019, the Colonels have won eight consecutive games in John L. Guidry Stadium. Surprisingly, no Nicholls team or teams have had a longer streak at home as the previous best was seven games - 1974-76, 1989-90 (one win was via forfeit), and 1996-97.
25 - Through seven games, the Colonel defense has allowed only 25 percent on fourth-down conversions. Opponents have attempted 12 fourth-down tries with only three conversions. The 25 percent is tied for fifth in the FCS.
58 - With his 10-yard pass to running back
Julien Gums last home game against Northwestern State, quarterback
Chase Fourcade tied the program record of 58 career touchdown passes set by Doug Hudson in 1986. Fourcade is already the program leader in passing yards, completions, and total offense.
2,000 - Dontrell Taylor nearly eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards last season and now has his sights on 2,000 for his career. With 1,967 yards rushing, Taylor needs 33 to become only the eighth Colonel to reach the mark.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• Abilene Christian heads to Thibodaux on a two-game winning streak after a double-overtime 31-24 victory last weekend against Stephen F. Austin at home. Both teams missed a field goal in the first extra period before the Wildcats scored an unanswered TD in the second for the win.
• ACU enters the matchup as one of the most well-round squads in the Southland, ranking in the top 4 in seven of the eight major statistical categories. The Wildcats are first in the SLC in rushing offense and second in scoring defense.
• The ACU offense is headed by quarterback Luke Anthony and running back Tracy James. Anthony, who was in Thibodaux this summer for the Manning Passing Academy, has thrown 14 touchdowns passes versus only three interceptions. James has been a touchdown machine, ranking fourth in the FCS with 12 and is 34th in yards rushing per game.
• The defense features all-league linebacker Jeremiah Chambers. He leads the nation with three fumble recoveries, and ranks 15th in total tackles and 32nd in tackles for loss. Last year, Chambers racked up 14 tackles with three for loss and a sack in ACU's win over the Colonels.
A WIN ABILENE CHRISTIAN WOULD...
... be the fourth win in five Homecoming games in the
Tim Rebowe era. Nicholls lost its first in 2015 and has since won three straight.
... give the Colonels their 26th league win under Rebowe and up his record to 23-9 in last four years in the Southland.
... improve Rebowe's record vs. Texas schools to 20-9.
... push the Colonels' home winning streak to nine games. Nicholls has also won 11 consecutive Southland Conference games at Guidry Stadium, with the last loss coming in the '16 finale.
... give Nicholls a 2-1 edge in the all-time series. The first matchup was in 2017.
... put the Colonels' record at home under Rebowe at 18-6. Nicholls is 13-1 since the start of '17.
LAST MEETING
Oct. 13, 2018
Abilene Christian 28, No. 11 Nicholls 12
ABILENE, Texas – The Nicholls State University football team's first trip to Abilene Christian turned out to be a forgettable one as the Wildcats grabbed an early lead and never looked back, handing the Colonels a 28-12 loss Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium. (
RECAP)
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls has three wins on Oct. 12, and all three are against Northwestern State. The last meeting against NSU came in 2013 and the Colonels won in Thibodaux, 33-21. The win was the last SLC victory before a 17-game losing streak in conference.
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
W/L |
SCORE |
H/A |
| 1974 |
Livingston |
L |
33-19 |
H |
| 1985 |
Texas State |
W |
20-12 |
H |
| 1991 |
Stephen F. Austin* |
L |
27-11 |
H |
| 1996 |
Texas State* |
W |
46-36 |
A |
| 2013 |
McNeese* |
L |
55-30 |
H |
LAST OUTING
Oct. 19, 2019
Sam Houston State 17, No. 9 Nicholls 0
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The No. 9 Nicholls State University football team was limited to a season-low 55 yards on the ground and were shutout for the first time since 2015 as the Colonels suffered their first loss in Southland Conference play with a 17-0 setback at Sam Houston State Saturday afternoon in Bowers Stadium. (
RECAP)
THE GUIDRY GRIS-GRIS
Along with the Colonels winning 12 consecutive regular season games at home and 13 of its last 14 in Guidry Stadium, Nicholls has jumped out to a hot start in the last seven games. The defense has allowed just four touchdowns and 31 total points in the first halves, while the offense has scored 188 points. Including the season opener, the Colonels have posted first-half shutouts in the three of the last five Southland home games.
HOME SWEET HOME
One of the team goals under
Tim Rebowe has been to go undefeated at home. The Colonels completed the feat last year in dominating fashion, winning six games in John L. Guidry Stadium for the first time in school history. In the six wins, the Colonels outscored the opposition, 265-99. Nicholls was 5-0 in the regular season at home in 2017 as well, but fell in the playoff game to South Dakota. Overall, the Colonels have won 13 of their last 14 games in Thibodaux.
WHAT'S THE RUSH?
Following a tough outing at Kansas State, the Colonel rush defense has stiffened up over the last month. Excluding the season opener, the defense is surrendering only 100.8 yards per game on the ground. Nicholls has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in conference since the regular season finale at Southeastern Louisiana in '17 (13 games).
TICKETS
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online to avoid long lines at the gate on the day of the game.
Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
STAYING SOCIAL
Follow the Colonels all season long on Twitter (
@Nicholls_FB) and Instagram (
@Nicholls_FB).
COLONEL GAMEDAY
For all the information on Colonel Football Gameday, click
here.
