No. 11/12 Nicholls Colonels (0-0) vs. Kansas State (0-0)
Manhattan, Kansas (Bill Snyder Family Stadium)
Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. CT
Nicholls Game Notes | Kansas State Game Notes
Audio: ESPN Radio New Orleans Tunein | 100.3 FM KLRZ | 105.9 FM KBZE
Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats
FIRST FIVE
• The Nicholls State University football program will begin its 48th season with an opener in Kansas for the second straight year, taking on the Kansas State Wildcats. After winning at KU last season, 26-23 in overtime, the Colonels improved to 22-25 all-time in season openers. Nicholls has started off its last two campaigns with wins after dropping five consecutive openers - all five against FBS schools.
• Nicholls is coming off a historic campaign where the Colonels won the second-most games in program history with nine. Win No. 8 was a 44-0 shutout against rival Southeastern Louisiana and it secured the program's second Southland Conference championship - with the only other coming in 2005. Win No. 9 was the program's second playoff win in school history, and first since 1986. The Colonels defeated San Diego in the opening round, 49-30, to cap a perfect 6-0 season in Thibodaux. The six home wins were also a school record.
• After being ranked in both major polls all season in 2018, Nicholls enters the '19 campaign ranked No. 11 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, and No. 12 in the STATS FCS. Before the 2017 season, the Colonels had not been nationally ranked since 2007. The Red and Gray were also heavy favorites to repeat as Southland Conference champions by securing 20 first-place votes, which is the most a team can receive in the preseason poll.
• In just four seasons, head coach
Tim Rebowe has transformed the Colonels into a top 25 program. Following a winless 2014, Rebowe was hired to "Renew" the program and he has managed to increase the win total in each season. Nicholls lost the first five games of Rebowe's tenure which extended its losing streak to 23 games, but after ending the drought, it's been a complete turnaround. The '15 season ended with win No. 3 as the seniors celebrated with a last-second win against rival Southeastern Louisiana. In 2016, Nicholls won five Southland games and nearly knocked off two FBS teams - Georgia and South Alabama. The Colonels then followed up with an 8-win season and made the FCS playoffs as an at-large team. Last year, Rebowe brought a conference championship to Thibodaux and the Colonels finished 9-4 after reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs.
• FBS teams are not rare opponents for the Colonels as Nicholls has played one every season since 2005 and at least two in each year except '05, '08, and '17. Following last year's opening win over Kansas, the Colonels have won five times against the FBS since 2000. The win over the Jayhawks snapped a nine-game skid against the FBS, but the Colonels seemed due for a breakthrough. Nicholls was a 55-point underdog at No. 9 Georgia in 2016 and actually led in the third before the Bulldogs squeaked out a two-point victory. Later that season, South Alabama tied the game at the end of regulation and scored in the overtime, then Nicholls answered with a touchdown and went for the win on a two-point conversion but came up short. The Colonels then faced Texas A&M in 2017 and after Nicholls tied the game late in the fourth quarter, the Aggies scored the next 10 points for a 24-14 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
11 -
Nicholls led the Southland Conference with 11 preseason all-league selections in 2019. Eight Colonels landed on first team, with three being named second. Nine of the honorees were automatic after garnering All-Southland last season. The first-team recipients were reigning Southland Player of the Year quarterback
Chase Fourcade, offensive lineman
P.J. Burkhalter, wide receiver
Dai'Jean Dixon, cornerback
Darren Evans, punter
Winston Jones, defensive lineman
Sully Laiche, and linebackers
Allen Pittman and
Evan Veron. Second-team members were offensive lineman
Jair Joseph, defensive back
Khristian Mims, and running back
Dontrell Taylor.
14 -
The running backs are one of the most experienced groups on the 2019 roster, and five of the backs have combined for 14 100-yard games.
Dontrell Taylor leads the way with a program-record nine 100-yard games, highlighted by five last season. Sophomore
Julien Gums broke the century mark twice in his rookie season, while
Kendall Bussey,
Jeremy Rounds, and now slot receiver
Tahj Smith have one each.
25.5 - All-American defensive lineman
Sully Laiche enters his senior season as the FCS active leader in sacks with 25.5. He has had at least 7.5 in each of his campaigns and totaled a career-high 9.5 as a freshman.
58/30 - Quarterback
Chase Fourcade became the program's all-time leading passer in the final game of his junior season, breaking Doug Hudson's 7,670 yards set in 1986. Fourcade enters 2019 with 53 touchdown passes, aiming to break Hudson's record of 58. With 23 rushing TDs, the dual-threat quarterback also has a chance to break the program mark of 30, held by quarterback Josh Son and running back Oscar Smith.
111 - The 2019 roster consists of 117 players, and 111 are Louisiana natives. When
Tim Rebowe was hired after the 2014 season, he wanted to put an emphasis on recruiting locally. Not only are the student-athletes from the Pelican State, but the majority are from a 50-mile radius which includes New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the River Parishes. The Colonels have had the most Louisianans in Division I football by a wide margin over the past few seasons.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• After going 5-7 in 2018, the Kansas State Wildcats hired Chris Klieman to take over the program. Klieman brings an impressive resume to Manhattan as he won four of the last five FCS national titles at North Dakota State.
• Although K-State finished below .500 last season, the defense finished in the upper half of the Big XII in the four major statistical categories. With the conference known for putting points on the board, Kansas State allowed only 24.5 points per game - third best in the league.
• Kansas State played one FCS program last season, South Dakota, and came away with a 27-24 win in the opener. The Wildcats trailed USD in the fourth quarter, 24-12, before scoring two unanswered touchdowns for the victory. The Coyotes played Nicholls in the first-round of the 2017 playoffs and won, 38-31.
• K-State has not had much trouble putting away Southland Conference opponents, going 3-0 with three blowout victories. After defeating McNeese, 55-14, in 2003 and Stephen F. Austin, 55-16, in '14, the Wildcats' most recent win was a 55-19 victory against Central Arkansas in 2017. The Bears rebounded from the opening loss and went 9-0 in the Southland Conference to win the league title. UCA did not face Nicholls that season.
A WIN OVER KANSAS STATE WOULD...
... give the Colonels their third straight season-opening win, which would be the first three-game winning streak in openers since 1985-87.
... improve head coach
Tim Rebowe's record to openers to 3-2 (0-47 at ULM in '15, 24-26 at Georgia in '16, 37-35 McNeese in '17, 26-23 at Kansas in '18)
... give Nicholls a 23-25 all-time record in season openers.
... put coach
Tim Rebowe's overall record to 26-22 in his four-plus seasons.
... be the Southland's ninth victory over an FBS team this decade. McNeese claimed two of the wins, while Nicholls has two including the last victory (at Kansas, 2018).
... be the fifth win for Nicholls over an FBS team since 2000.
ON THIS DATE IN COLONEL HISTORY ...
• Nicholls has a 3-2 record on Aug. 31, with its last win coming in 2017 on a field goal as time expired to knock off rival McNeese. The only FBS game was a loss to the nationally-ranked Oregon Ducks, which were led by future NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota.
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
W/L |
SCORE |
H/A |
| 1991 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
L |
3-7 |
H |
| 2000 |
Central Arkansas |
W |
52-44 |
H |
| 2006 |
Southern Arkansas |
W |
35-0 |
H |
| 2013 |
Oregon |
L |
3-66 |
A |
| 2017 |
McNeese* |
W |
37-35 |
H |
QUICK NOTES FROM 2018
- At 9-4, Nicholls won second most games in team history.
- 7-2 tied best Southland season in program history, matching '17 record.
- Nicholls perfect at home, winning a school record six games.
- Earned automatic berth into FCS playoffs, making two straight appearances for first time in team history.
- Colonels hosted playoff game for second straight year and claimed first postseason victory since 1986.
- Set offensive program records in yards per game, total yards, yards per play, most points, most touchdowns, most PATs, and first downs.
- In the FCS, offense ranked seventh in third down conversion percentage, fifth in first downs, 12th in rushing offense and total offense, and 28th in points scored.
- Defense ranked 27th in total yards, 11th in rushing yards allowed, 21st in scoring, seventh in tackles for loss and 12th in sacks.
- Finished ranked in both top 25 polls.
THE COLONEL CORE
Although the Colonels graduated a 27-member senior class, the team brings back a wealth of experience - primarily at the skill positions. Quarterback
Chase Fourcade returns for his fourth year as a starter, and has his top receiver - junior
Dai'Jean Dixon, and all three leading rushers back -
Dontrell Taylor,
Kendall Bussey, and
Julien Gums. On defense, the squad has two of its best pass rushers -
Sully Laiche and
Evan Veron, leading tackler - safety
Khristian Mims, and its top cover corner -
Darren Evans. At linebacker, three-time All-Southland linebacker
Allen Pittman heads an experience group which includes senior
Laryon James and junior
Aquindas Steib.
THE CHASE FILE
Quarterback
Chase Fourcade is one of the highest rated recruits to come to Nicholls. He received FBS offers from Arkansas State, ULM, and even turned down a late offer from Maryland to come play for the Colonels. Fourcade started as a true freshman and led Nicholls to a near upset of No. 9 Georgia in the 2016 opener. He has since gone on to become the program's all-time leading passer and is the first Colonel to earn Southland Player of the Year. Nicholls has posted a 19-8 record in conference during Fourcade's three seasons. In comparison, the program won a total of 14 Southland games from 2006-2014. He is also chasing program records in touchdowns, needing six TD passes to break the school record and eight rushing TDs to set a new mark.
TEXAS COLONELS?
Nicholls hits the road seven times for the 2019 season, and will play as many games in Texas as it will at home. The Colonels are slated for five contests in the Lone Star State, and will look to improve Coach Rebowe's 16-7 record against Texas schools. Six of the wins have come on the road (6-6).
ONE MORE REMAINING
With the win over Sam Houston State last season, Nicholls put to rest one of its two lengthy losing streaks against Southland opponents. The Colonels had lost the last 11 meetings against the Bearkats before the victory, and now have just the eight-game skid against Central Arkansas. The Colonels and Bears have not played since 2016 due to the schedule rotations, but UCA comes to Thibodaux on Oct. 5 for the Colonels' home opener. Other series streaks that have ended under head coach
Tim Rebowe were eight-game droughts against Stephen F. Austin (stopped in '16) and McNeese ('17).
UP NEXT
Nicholls has an early bye week for Week 2, but returns the following weekend with at game at Prairie View A&M on Sept. 14. The two teams squared off in Thibodaux in 2017 with Nicholls winning 44-13.
HOME OPENER
Following their first four games on the road, the Colonels return to Louisiana for their home opener against Central Arkansas on Oct. 5. Nicholls has won 11 of its last 12 home games, including all six last season. Fans can order tickets by contacting the Nicholls Athletics Ticket Office at 985-448-4790 or on
NichollsTickets.com.
NICHOLLS FOOTBALL ON TWITTER
For the latest news and in-game updates, be sure to follow the team on Twitter
@Nicholls_FB.
