Leadership Terrebonne group returns Christmas decorations to Downtown Houma
November 25, 2023
Newly retired Houma native completes bike ride across the USA in 58 days
November 26, 2023
No. 14/17 Southern Illinois jumped out to a three-touchdown lead in the first quarter and never looked back as the Nicholls State University football team was defeated 35-0 in the opening round of the FCS playoffs Saturday afternoon at Saluki Stadium.
With the loss, Nicholls wraps up the season with a 6-5 overall record. It marks the sixth time in nine years under head coach Tim Rebowe that the Colonels finished with a winning record. Southern Illinois (8-4) will advance in the FCS playoffs to take on No. 4 seed Idaho.
For the game, Nicholls was limited to a season-low 252 yards of total offense, including 75 on the ground. Senior David Robinson Jr. led the team with 65 yards receiving on five receptions. SIU totaled 358 yards with Ro Elliott rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Nic Baker tossed a pair of TDs as well.
Playing their first home game ever at Saluki Stadium, SIU wasted no time taking command with a 21-0 lead through the opening quarter. Elliott scored on a short run before Pat McQuaide tossed an interception, leading to a short field and a Justin Strong rushing TD. McQuaide finished the game with 126 yards passing on 12 of 26 and threw two interceptions.
Nicholls finally got its offense going with a couple first downs, but a holding penalty thwarted the drive and led to a punt into the end zone.
The Salukis then took advantage of two pass interferences and made it 21-0 on a touchdown pass from Baker to Aidan Quinn for 14 yards.
In the second, the Colonels had a special teams miscue when Kylan Dupre dropped the ball on an attempted punt. But Nicholls kept SIU off the scoreboard as Jake Baumgarte missed a 28-yard field goal.
The Colonel defense came up again with a stop on fourth down in their own territory, and then had a chance to carry some momentum into the half. Helped by two catches by Robinson, Nicholls moved inside the SIU 10 and eventually faced a fourth-and-goal at the 2 with less than a minute to go. McQuaide tried to make a pass but was sacked, keeping the score at 21-0.
Nicholls received the ball to start the second half but went three-and-out and SIU followed with a 60-yard TD run by Elliott. After the second pick by McQuaide, Baker found Vinson Davis III for a 7-yard score and a commanding 35-0 lead.
Late in the third, Perry Ganci secured a sack for the Colonels to force a punt and a bad snap gave Nicholls the ball at the SIU 11. But again, the offense came up empty as a fourth-down pass to Quincy Brown was incomplete.
The score remained at 35-0 for the rest of the game as Nicholls suffered its first shutout in 10 all-time playoff appearances.
For the defense, Devonte’ Mathews had a team-high 10 tackles while Brandon Lairy added nine stops. Joe Mason and senior Perry Ganci each had a sack.
