Louise "Toot" Marie Chiasson Fremin
October 7, 2008
Marie "Grum" Hartman Hebert
October 9, 2008
After last week’s 34-14 loss to Northern Iowa, the Nicholls State Colonels currently sit at 0-2.
But that doesn’t bother them.
Whether they were 0-2, 1-1, or 2-0, it doesn’t matter to because Nicholls State is 0-0 in conference.
That will change Saturday as the Colonels travel to open Southland Conference play against the Northwestern State Demons in Natchitoches at 6 p.m.
From this point on, the Colonels go into conference overhaul and play seven straight conference games to close out their season.
The Colonels saw an increased offensive performance last week, compiling 376 yards in the loss.
On the season, quarterback Chris Bunch leads the team with 104 yards rushing, while fellow quarterback Vince Montgomery has notched 137 passing yards with one touchdown in the run-oriented defense.
By now the Colonels have an idea of how they look, as head coach Jay Thomas said he clearly sees penalties and turnovers to be the problem. The Colonels have been penalized 14 times for 113 yards.
Thomas said remaining competitive in conference starts with playing disciplined football.
“We didn’t play smart,” Thomas said. “We knew going into the game that we could not have the penalties and miscues against them. It’s cost us our first two games.”
So, what about the rest of the Southland Conference?
Here’s a peek at how the rest of the conference matches up against the Colonels as they head into conference play:
NORTHWESTERN STATE
Awaiting the Colonels is a Demons team that lost to Nicholls 58-0 in Thibodaux last season.
The Demons currently sit at 3-2 on the season, defeating Texas A&M-Commerce (30-14), Grambl-ing State (31-19), and Southeastern Oklahoma State (63-12). The losses were at the hands of Baylor (51-6) and Cal-Poly (52-18).
So far this season, running backs Bryan Lawrence (287 yards, three touchdowns) and William Griffin (273 yards, two touchdowns) and quarterback John Hundley (276 yards, two touchdowns) have carried the load for the Demons.
Hundley also passed for 678 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Sixth-year head coach Scott Stoker has compiled a 39-35 overall record (2-4 against the Colonels).
The Colonels are 12-23 lifetime against the Demons, but have won four of their last five against them.
Head coach Jay Thomas is 3-1 in his career against the Demons, including 2-1 at home.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
After returning from Natchitoches, the Colonels finally get the chance to play their first home game of the season Oct. 18 against the Lumberjacks.
Based out of Nacogdoches, Texas, the Lumberjacks are coming off a rebuilding season in which they finished 0-11.
They improved their record after their first game this season, defeating Langston University 56-19.
Currently, their record sits at 2-3, losing to TCU (67-7), Western Illinois (34-14) and South Dakota State (50-48).
Their second win came Saturday against Southeastern in conference play. Under the tutelage of then-first-year head coach J.C. Harper, the Lumberjacks fell at home to the Colonels last season, 17-16.
Leading the way thus far this season is quarterback Jeremy Moses, who has passed for 1,178 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Moses’ primary target this season has been receiver Duane Brooks, who has caught for 319 yards and two scores, as well as Tyrel Williams (217 yards, two touchdowns).
The Colonels are 7-17 overall against the Lumberjacks, winning twice in the last five years.
Thomas is 2-2.
McNEESE STATE
The defending Southland Conference Champions were the preseason favorites and have won five of the last seven conference titles.
The Cowboys currently hold a 3-1 overall record, notching victories over Delta State (52-27), Southern Virginia (63-7) and South Dakota State (46-44). The lone loss was a 35-27 heartbreaker against Division I-FBS member North Carolina.
When the Cowboys meet the Colonels in Lake Charles on Oct. 25, it’ll be the 33rd meeting between the two teams. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 22-10.
Thomas is 1-3 against the Cowboys, the lone win coming in the 2005 hurricane-shortened championship season.
Last season, the Cowboys spoiled the Colonels homecoming with a 28-7 win.
Lake Charles hasn’t been too friendly to the Colonels either. They have not won there since 1998, and have won there only five times in the series’ history.
Leading the charge for the Cowboys is quarterback Derrick Fourroux, who has thrown for 534 yards and six touchdowns with only one interception.
Todd Pendland has contributed his share of the work, rushing for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
The Bears are proverbial newcomers to the Southland Conference, but left their mark in a big way last season, finishing with the top offense in the conference averaging 452.2 yards per game.
Head coach Clint Conque, a Nicholls State alumnus, is 1-1 against the Colonels in the two times the schools have met.
Behind the play of SLC Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Nathan Brown, the Bears are off to a quick 4-1 start entering conference play.
The lone loss came to Division I-FBS member Tulsa 62-34, while the wins came against Henderson State (38-14), UC-Davis (24-21), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (41-17) and Quincy (Ill.) (51-6).
In last season’s meeting between the Bears and the Colonels, regulation wasn’t enough.
The two teams had to go into overtime, where the Bears won the thriller 49-42.
Brown leads the conference to this point with 1,458 yards, 14 touchdowns with no interceptions. He’s not the only weapon, as running back Brent Grimes has carried the ball for 253 yards and five touchdowns.
Four receivers have eclipsed the 200-yard mark on the season.
They are: Eric Ware (269 yards, two touchdowns), Willie Landers (388 yards, three touchdowns), Marquez Branson (366 yards, four touchdowns) and James Lovett, 219 yards, one touchdown.
The Nov. 1 match-up will mark only the second time Conque has returned to Thibodaux since graduating in 1983.
The last time was 2000, when the Bears lost 52-44 to the Colonels.
Thomas is 0-1 in his lone attempt against the Bears.
SAM HOUSTON STATE
There’s no question who the primary offensive weapon for the Sam Houston State Bearkats is – All-SLC Honorable Mention selection and former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Rhett Bomar.
Through only nine games last season, Bomar passed for 2,029 yards and 10 scores and rushed for 406 yards with seven scores, before missing the final two games with a knee injury.
He’s made a prominent return this season, passing for 878 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Receiver Justin Wells (232 yards, two touchdowns) and running back James Aston (194 yards rushing, three touchdowns) assisted in the Bearkats 2-1 record so far.
The Bearkats defeated East Central Oklahoma 58-14 and Gardener-Webb (N.C.) 49-33. The lone loss was to Big XII member Kansas 38-14.
Over the last 23 meetings between the Colonels and Bearkats, the series has been even, 11-11 with one tie.
The Bearkats defeated the Colonels 16-13 last season in Huntsville, Texas but must travel to Thibodaux this season where they are 4-8-1 overall.
Coach Thomas, however, is 1-3 overall against the Bearkats, last defeating them in 2005 37-7.
TEXAS STATE
If there is any team that has had its share of trouble with the Colonels in recent years it’s the Texas State Bobcats.
The Colonels have defeated the Bobcats in six of the last seven years, including winning two straight heading into this season.
In fact, Thomas is 3-1 in the “Battle for the Paddle,” and the Colonels own the series record 15-11.
Last season, the Colonels had their way with the Bobcats, notching a 52-28 victory in Guidry Stadium.
This year, the rivalry resumes Nov. 15 in San Marcos, Texas, where the Colonels are 6-7.
Right now, the Bobcats hold a 3-2 overall record with wins over Angelo State (21-14), Northern Colorado (38-35) and Texas Southern (63-39) and losses to Conference USA participant SMU (47-36) and Southern Utah (34-20.)
Leading the charge for the Bobcats is running back Karrington Bush, who sits at 293 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
Wide receiver Cameron Luke has contributed to the cause, catching 21 balls for 343 yards and five touchdowns.
SOUTHEASTERN (La.)
Three years ago, the “River Bell Classic” was renewed when the Lions rejoined the Southland Conference.
After losing to the Lions for the first time since 1985 last season, the Colonels and Lions meet in Guidry Stadium on Nov. 20, a place where the Lions have not won since the football program made its return in 2003 (returning to the SLC in 2005 after discontinuing the team in 1985.)
The last official win in Thibodaux for the Lions was 1980 and Thomas holds a 2-1 record against the Lions.
However, the all-time series is even at nine.
Last year’s 17-13 loss in Hammond sparked what looks to be a new rivalry between the two schools, within hours driving distance of each other.
At this point in the season, the Lions are 3-3 overall. They opened the season with a 34-28 win against Alcorn State and added wins against South Dakota (31-30) and North Dakota (38-35) along the way.
Two of the Lions’ three losses were at the hands of two Division I-FBS schools: Mississippi State (34-10) and Louisiana Tech (41-26.)
The other was to the Lumberjacks on Saturday.
Quarterback Brian Babin, who has passed for 1053 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions, leads the offense along with running back Jay Lucas (66 carries, 269 yards and three touchdowns) and receiver Chris Wilson (24 catches, 349 yards and two touchdowns) this season.
Wide receiver Antonio Robinson tries to haul in a pass against a Memphis defender. The Colonels start conference play Saturday at Northwestern State. * NSU photos by David Minkin – InFocus Sports
