Nicholls Colonels vs. McNeese Cowboys
Thibodaux, La. (Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium)
Saturday, Oct. 25 -- 3 p.m. CT 
ESPN+: LINK 
Live Stats: Link

• Following three trips to Texas, one to Kentucky, and two bye weeks, the Nicholls State University football team returns home for the first time since Sept. 6 with a  matchup against in-state rival McNeese. The Colonels are looking to improve to 2-0 in Southland play at home and even it's SLC record while the Cowboys will also be aiming for their second league win. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.

• Nicholls saw its losing skid pushed to six games after a 34-7 loss to league front-runner Stephen F. Austin on the road. Not only did the Colonels have to deal with the nationally-ranked Lumberjacks, but two lengthy weather delays pushed the game's conclusion past midnight. The contest had a promising start for the Colonels as they held SFA to a field goal on the opening possession and threatened to take the lead with a long drive, but a fumble inside the 5 ended it and SFA never looked back. The Lumberjacks led 19-0 at the break and added two touchdowns in the third before Nicholls scored late to prevent their first shutout of the season.

• While the Colonels are looking to end their losing streak, McNeese just ended a five-game drought with a 27-0 shutout over HCU. After starting the season with a non Division I victory, the Cowboys suffered losses to FBS Louisiana and Utah State, and a heartbreaker at home against Weber State. McNeese opened up league play with setbacks against SFA and Southeastern, which are two of the three remaining undefeated teams in SLC play. The Cowboys bounced back after the bye week against HCU to earn their first shutout since 2017.

• Nicholls and McNeese will be playing for the 50th time in the all-time series. The Cowboys have secured 32 wins but the Colonels have closed the gap by winning four straight and six of the last eight. The two programs battled it out last year in Thibodaux and saw a rare 3-2 score through the first quarter thanks to a Jake Dalmado sack/safety. The teams traded long touchdown runs with Miequle Brock Jr. reeling off a 66-yarder, then Collin Guggenheim scored on a 39-yard screen pass for a 14-10 halftime lead and Nicholls never trailed again. In the second half, the Red and Gray added a field goal and a touchdown before holding off a late McNeese rally. The Cowboys blocked a punt in the last five minutes which led to a touchdown, then got the ball back one last time trailing 24-19. But the Colonel defense ended the comeback with an interception. Dalmado went on to be named Southland Defensive Player of the Week after tallying four sacks in the win. 
 

A WIN OVER McNEESE WOULD...

... give the Colonels their longest winning streak of five games in the all-time series. Nicholls won four in a row from 1985-88.
... extend Nicholls' home winning streak in the series to five games. The last loss in Thibodaux to McNeese was in 2015.
... end a six-game losing streak. The Colonels have not lost seven in a row since their winless 2014 campaign.
... improve the Colonels' home record this season to 2-1.
... be head coach Tommy Rybacki's second career victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 -- Tight end Everett Hunter caught his first touchdown pass as a Colonel last game at SFA, hauling in a 16-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Hunter is second on the team with 189 yards receiving. 

13 -- For the second straight year, the Colonels finished in the Top 10 of the FCS in turnovers gained with 29 last season. Nicholls has 13 gained this year and ranks 12th in the FCS.

14 -- Senior safety Ethan Lee set a new career mark with 14 tackles at SFA and added his fifth career interception. Lee ranks 5th in the SLC in tackles and is 11th in the NCAA in interceptions per game.

91 -- The Nicholls roster features 91 Louisiana natives, which is the most of any Division I roster this season. The Colonels have held the distinction for most of Tommy Rybacki's tenure on staff. 

156.4 -- The Nicholls defense is allowing 156.4 yards passing per game, which ranks 7th in the FCS. Twice this season, the defense has allowed less than 100 yards passing.

LAST MEETING
Oct. 26, 2024
Nicholls -- 24
McNeese -- 19

THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University football team took the lead late in the first half over McNeese and the defense came up with enough stops the rest of the way as the Colonels stayed undefeated at home with a 24-19 Homecoming victory Saturday afternoon on Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium. (FULL RECAP)

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