Nicholls gets big win against Incarnate Word

OUR VIEW: Pay attention to kid justice
November 1, 2017
Learning the facts about recreation
November 1, 2017
OUR VIEW: Pay attention to kid justice
November 1, 2017
Learning the facts about recreation
November 1, 2017

After a week of rest, it sure looks like sophomore quarterback Chase Fourcade’s injured shoulder is 100 percent healthy.

Fourcade was huge for Nicholls on Saturday, posting a career-high 358 passing yards in a hard-fought 38-31 victory over Incarnate Word.


The victory improves the Colonels to 6-2 on the season and 5-1 in Southland play.

It also keeps hope alive that the team can make the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at the end of the season.

“I’m really proud of the effort by our guys,” Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe said. “We came out after a tough road trip and anytime you can win on the road in this conference, it’s really good.”


It wasn’t easy.

Despite having just a 1-6 record entering Saturday’s game, Incarnate Word battled the Colonels throughout the game, making things difficult for Nicholls at every turn.

The Colonels stormed out of the gates early, dominating the first quarter with big-play offense and dominant defense to roll to a 14-0 lead.


Nicholls scored on its first offensive possession with ease – a two-play touchdown drive capped on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Fourcade to Mason Roberts, who had 106 yards receiving on the day.

After a series of possession changes, the Colonels ended the quarter with a bang, as well on a short touchdown run from Kyran Irvin, which put the Colonels up 14-0.

But the Cardinals fought back with two touchdowns of their own in the second quarter to trim Nicholls’ lead to 17-14 midway through the second quarter. In between the two scores was a 33-yard field goal from Nicholls kicker Lorran Fonseca.


But the Colonels ended the half with a bang – all with the help of its dominant defense.

After Nicholls missed a field goal, Incarnate Word started a possession at its own 20-yard-line down 17-14 with 2:41 to go in the half.

On the first play, the Colonels forced a fumble, which set up a touchdown pass from Fourcade to Dai’Jean Dixon to go up 24-14.


On the Cardinals’ next possession, things got worse.

Trying to get back in the game with a late two-minute drive, Nicholls struck again with a pick-six by Laryon James, which put Nicholls up 31-14 at halftime – a huge momentum shift in the game.

The Colonels needed every last point, because the second half wasn’t easy.


Incarnate Word refused to go away, scoring 17 of the 24 points in the second half to bring some drama to the game.

They struck first with 9:57 to go in the third quarter on a short touchdown run – the culmination of a 90-yard drive to cut Nicholls’ lead to 31-21.

But Fourcade again had an answer a few drives later with another deep touchdown pass to Dixon to stretch out the lead to 38-31.


But the Colonels’ rushing game couldn’t get going after that and the Colonels couldn’t run out the clock on its subsequent possessions to put the game away.

In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals found a little bit of a groove to make the game interesting.

Incarnate Word hit a 45-yard field goal early in the quarter to cut Nicholls’ lead to 38-24.


They then stopped several promising Nicholls’ drives and answered with one of their own – a touchdown reception from Zaire Andre with 45 seconds left to make it a one-score game.

But Nicholls stopped the bleeding. Mason Roberts recovered the Cardinals’ onsides kick attempt, then kneeled on the next few plays to ice the win – the most the Colonels have gotten in a season under Rebowe.

“We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game. We thought we had a good lead in the second half, but we gave them a little momentum and let them get back. Overall, the effort was fantastic from our players; they knew what we had to do. We have three games left and a lot to play for.”


Rebowe is right.

In the latest bracketology projections, the Colonels are slated to be one of the at-large bids for the FCS Playoffs.

To stay there, Nicholls will have to keep winning.


Nicholls’ next game will be another highly winnable one – at home on Saturday against Houston Baptist, who will enter the game with just a 1-7 record.

After that, the Colonels will wrap up their season with two-straight road games – first against Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 11 and then at Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 16.

The Lumberjacks are a middle of the road team in the Southland, owning a 4-3 record in the league and a 4-5 record overall on the season.


Southeastern will present more of a challenge. Like Nicholls, the Lions are also 5-1 in Southland – right in the mix for the FCS Playoffs.

Assuming that Central Arkansas stays undefeated and in control of the league, the winner of the Nicholls/Southeastern game may be competing for a chance to play in the postseason.

Nicholls football


Follow Casey on Twitter for more. 

https://twitter.com/casey_gisclair