Colonels fall at Abilene Christian

The Nicholls football entered the weekend firmly in the thick of things in the chase for the Southland Conference Championship.

But after a bit of a dud against Southland newcomer Abilene Christian, the Colonels are back on the outside looking in.

The Wildcats upset Nicholls 28-12 on Saturday, earning their first Southland win in four tries this season. The loss drops Nicholls to 4-3 on the season and 3-2 in league play. The Colonels still have a chance to win the conference and reach the FCS Playoffs, but their margin for error is now far thinner with an underwhelming defeat.

Nicholls outgained the Wildcats 388-346 in the game, but an inability to convert 3rd downs and score in the red zone haunted the Colonels in the game.

“I’m very happy for our team, our players and our coaches,” Abilene Christian coach Adam Dorrel said after the win. “We’ve been close several times against teams the quality of Nicholls, so to get over the hump is huge for the confidence of our team.”

Nicholls never had a rhythm in the game.

Abilene Christian’s pass-happy attack struck first, driving 68 yards down the field for a score — a one-yard touchdown run from quarterback Luke Anthony to go up 7-0 early in the game — a lead they’d never relinquish.

Nicholls dominated the rest of the first quarter, but couldn’t even land the powerful right-handed body blow they needed.

Their next two drives after the Wildcats’ touchdown ended in short field goals to cut the lead to 7-6 — drives that Tim Rebowe would have preferred to see end in touchdowns.

Abilene Christian made Nicholls pay dearly for their inability to put the ball in the end zone later in the half with two second-quarter touchdowns — lone on a long pass from Anthony to Kalin Sadler and the other on a long run from Billy McCrary to go up 21-6.

Anthony was good on Saturday, completing 20-of-33 passes for 209 yards and two scores. The difference in the game was the Wildcats’ ground game. Abilene Christian ran the ball effectively for the first time in Southland Conference play, toting 36 times for 137 yards and two scores.

Nicholls fought back. Late in the first half, quarterback Chase Fourcade delivered Nicholls’ quickest strike of the game — a 21-yard pass to Dai’Jean Dixon to cut the lead. But instead of making it 21-13, the Colonels had to settle for 21-12, as Lorran Fonseca’s extra point was blocked — a continuation of a season-long program the Colonels have had in their kicking game. The Colonels have now missed eight field goals and three extra points this season. On kicks greater than 30 yards or more, the team is just 3-of-11.

In the second half, Nicholls had chances, but couldn’t get going offensively.

Nicholls got the ball first in the second half and drove into Abilene Christian territory. But on 4th and 2, Fourcade’s was dropped for a 5-yard loss, which turned over the ball on downs.

After a stop, Nicholls had several other tries in the quarter, but none which amounted to points on the scoreboard, including one drive, which ended on a long field goal miss by Fonseca.

Abilene Christian all-but put the game away midway through the fourth quarter when Anthony found Josh Fink on a 16-yard score to go ahead 28-12 with 8 minutes in the game.

Nicholls fought back on the next drive of the game, getting down to the Wildcats’ 24-yard-line.

But on fourth and 1, Dontrell Taylor was stuffed on an inside run, turning over the ball on downs to the Wildcats, who ate a little time off the clock before punting.

On Nicholls’ next possession, they got to the Wildcats’ 8-yard-line, but again got nothing when a pass from Fourcade to Dixon fell incomplete, sealing the Colonels’ fate.

With the loss, Nicholls will now enter their bye week with a lot to chew on. Nicholls is currently in fifth-place in the Southland, two full games back of McNeese, who doesn’t yet have a loss, but who also owns a head-to-head win against the Colonels, thus virtually giving them a three-game lead because they’d own a tiebreaker.

Nicholls has chances to make up ground in the final four games of the season — three of which will be at home.

They take on Incarnate Word on Oct. 27. They are a contender.

After that will be dates with Houston Baptist and Stephen F. Austin — two teams in the bottom of the standings and who are not expected to be a significant threat to the championship chase.

Nicholls will then close out with Southeastern — a game that may make or break the team’s chances at postseason play.

Nicholls football

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