• Following two FBS setbacks and being displaced due to Hurricane Ida, the Nicholls State University football team makes its 2021 season home debut with a long awaited rematch against former Gulf South Conference foe North Alabama.  Kickoff at John L. Guidry Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and can be listened to on ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM.

• Nicholls will be looking to improve its 28-21 all-time record in home openers, helped by its current five-game winning streak. The Colonels lost head coach Tim Rebowe's first home game against ranked McNeese in 2015, but have since been perfect in their Guidry Stadium debuts. Included in those wins are victories against nationally ranked Sam Houston and Central Arkansas. In the 2021 spring season, Nicholls opened the slate at home with a school record in points in a 87-3 victory against non-D1 Lincoln (Mo.), then a week later, shut out Lamar in the conference home opener, 55-0. 

• After its 42-17 loss at Memphis, Nicholls was unable to return to Thibodaux due to power still being out and stayed in Memphis to prepare for another FBS opponent, Louisiana. Despite being displaced, the Colonels gave UL fits and nearly came away with a win, falling 27-24 to the preseason Top 25 Ragin' Cajun squad. Leading 17-10 in the third quarter, Louisiana took control with a long interception return for a touchdown to double its lead. Down 27-10 in the fourth, Nicholls scored two late touchdowns before failing to recover an onside kick. The Colonels had record performances from wide receiver Dai'Jean Dixon and quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. in the loss as Dixon set a single-game school record with 14 receptions and tied the program mark with 198 yards while Scott combined for 480 yards, throwing for 359 and rushing for 121.The loss was the fifth consecutive for Nicholls versus FBS programs with its last win coming in the 2018 overtime victory against Kansas.

• Nicholls and North Alabama will renew a rivalry that goes back to the 1970s as both were members of the the Gulf South Conference. The teams squared off four times with the first meeting in 1973 and the last in '76. UNA claimed three victories in the four games, with the lone Colonel win coming in Thibodaux in a 28-27 victory in '75. That victory sparked a three-game winning streak to end the season for Nicholls, helping the Red and Gray to their first ever league championship. The Lions then took the final meeting between the two schools in '76, notching a convincing 37-7 triumph. 

• The Colonels have faced just over a handful of FCS opponents outside of the Southland since head coach Tim Rebowe arrived in 2015, totaling seven games in the six seasons. Five of the contests were in the playoffs which included wins over San Diego and North Dakota. The other three were loses to South Dakota, national runner up Eastern Washington and eventual champion North Dakota State. The only nonconference FCS games were a home-and-home against SWAC member Prairie View A&M with Nicholls winning both games ('17 & '19).

14 - WR Dai'Jean Dixon set a single-game record with 14 receptions in the near victory against FBS Louisiana. Dixon was targeted 19 times and racked up 198 yards and two touchdowns. The 198 also tied the program's record for most in a single game. Dixon was named Southland Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career.

45 - Former members of the Gulf South Conference, Nicholls and North Alabama will be squaring off for the first time in 45 years. The Colonels and Lions have met four times but all the matchups were in the 1970s, with the last coming in '76. 

480 - Quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. also had a record performance against Louisiana, compiling 480 yards of total offense to set a new single-game mark. Scott notched his third career 100-yard game rushing with 121 on 18 carries, and threw for a career-high 359 yards with three touchdowns. Scott was named LSWA Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

... give Coach Rebowe his 39th career win, which would tie Sonny Jackson's program mark.
... prevent a fifth consecutive loss. Nicholls has not lost five in a row under Rebowe since going 0-5 to start his inaugural 2015 season.
... improve Nicholls' record in the all-time series to 2-3. The last meeting was a 37-7 win by UNA in 1976.
... give Coach Rebowe a home record of 24-8. Three of the losses came in his first season ('15).
... put the Colonels' record in home openers at 29-21. Nicholls is to 5-1 under Rebowe.
... be the first victory under Coach Rebowe against an Alabama school. Nicholls lost in overtime against FBS South Alabama in '16 in the only other meeting vs. an Alabama program. Overall, Nicholls is 23-46 against Alabama (6-9 vs. Jacksonville State; 3-6 vs. Livingston (now West Alabama); 1-3 vs. North Alabama; 7-5 vs. Samford; 0-3 vs. South Alabama; 6-20 vs. Troy ).

CROSSING MISSISSIPPI

Although only Mississippi separates Nicholls and North Alabama, neither program has ventured much into each others' territory. 
- Nicholls features one player from Alabama - Austin Peay transfer defensive lineman Jequaries Martin. A native of Chilton, Martin is in his first season with the Colonels and has made an immediate impact, recording a 4th-down stop and recovering a fumble in the near victory at FBS Louisiana.
- UNA has two Pelican State natives, DBs Alonzo Craighton and Terrell Bailey. Hailing from Prairieville, Craighton not only attended Dutchtown, the same school as a handful of Colonels, but he spent two seasons at Nicholls after transferring in from the University of Minnesota. Alonzo played for the 2019 championship team, finishing with 21 tackles and a fumble recovery.
- Bailey is from the Westbank in New Orleans and graduated from the same high school (John Ehret) as Colonel DB Brandon James. Bailey has two pass breakups for the Lions this season.

 

DIXON SHINES VS. FBS

Despite facing two FBS teams, Dai'Jean Dixon leads the FCS in receptions per game (10.5) and receiving yards (152.5).
- He had 7 rec. for 107 yards at Memphis before his record performance at UL where he totaled 14 rec. for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- Dixon was named Southland POW for his performance against the Ragin' Cajuns. 
- He also received Stats Perform FCS National Offensive POW honorable mention.

Only 2️⃣ more days until you can catch the Colonels at Guidry 🙌

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— Nicholls Football 🏈 (@Nicholls_FB) September 23, 2021