ONE STEP CLOSER

MEN ON A MISSION
November 15, 2018
Scalise retains leadership position
November 15, 2018
MEN ON A MISSION
November 15, 2018
Scalise retains leadership position
November 15, 2018

The Nicholls State University is getting close to clinching a bid in the Football Championship Subdivision for a second-straight year.

The Colonels crushed Stephen F. Austin 47-14 on Saturday, improving to 7-3 on the season and 6-2 in Southland Conference play.


Nicholls rolled up 536 total yards of offense in the win, while dominating time of possession, owning 36-minutes and 29-seconds of possession in the 60-second game.

With the win, the Colonels now head into Thursday night’s matchup with Southeastern Louisiana knowing that if they win, they’re in the playoffs. A win would clinch Nicholls a share of the Southland Conference Championship with Incarnate Word, who finished their league schedule this weekend and clinched a piece of the conference title. But the Colonels beat the Cardinals head-to-head, so if Nicholls beats Southeastern, tiebreaker rules will give the league’s automatic playoff bid to the Colonels.

Coach Tim Rebowe said Saturday’s win was a high-stakes game, but he was proud of how the Colonels performed to keep pace in the playoff chase. The challenge now will be to stay focused in a short week to get prepared for a Lions team that’s been a thorn in Nicholls’ side in recent years.


“The mindset is that we’re going to celebrate this one tonight, but it’s a shorter celebration because we’ve got to get to work tomorrow afternoon (for Southeastern),” Rebowe said. “It should be a really, really exciting week for us.”

Saturday’s game didn’t have much drama.

The Colonels dominated in all phases throughout the game from start-to-finish, rolling to a big learn early in a comfortable win.


Nicholls dominated the first half, rolling to a 24-0 lead at halftime on the powerful arm of quarterback Chase Fourcade.

The quarterback hit three touchdown passes in the first half — two to Dai’Jean Dixon and another to Gabe Fuselier to grab a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

The junior quarterback added to his dominant month, completing 13-of-19 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 14 times for 67 yards.


Since losing to Abilene Christian on Oct. 13, Fourcade has played arguably the best football of his career, tossing for 10 touchdowns with just 1 interception, while completing 52-of-67 passes (77.6 percent completions). He’s also rushed for 3 scores in those games.

Fourcade’s opportunities on Saturday were plentiful because Nicholls’ defense dominated throughout the game, getting the Lumberjacks off the field constantly on third down situations.

The Colonels capped the first half with a 7-play, 85-yard drive capped by a short field goal by senior kicker Lorran Fonseca, which gave the Colonels that lofty 24-point halftime lead.


It never got much better for Stephen F. Austin.

The Lumberjacks got a touchdown early in the third quarter on a short pass from Jake Blumrick to Tamrick Pace to cut the lead to 24-7. But after that score, Nicholls fired back with 13-straight points in the quarter to carry a 37-7 lead going to the fourth quarter.

Halfbacks Dontrell Taylor and Julien Gums each punched short touchdowns in that quick, 13-point rally, which effectively ended the game.


In the fourth quarter, Stephen F. Austin scored on a short pass from Foster Sawyer to Terian Goree to cut the lead to 37-14. But the Colonels finished with a flurry — a 48-yard touchdown pass from Fourcade to Kendall Bussey, then another late-game field goal to send the game to its final margin.

So for Nicholls, the debate is over. The Colonels 100 percent control their own fate. If they win, they’re in.

If they don’t, they still have a chance to be an at-large selection by the Football Championship Subdivision Selection Committee, but that wouldn’t be a sure thing.


Rebowe said he loves that the game will be played on Thursday night — a time when all eyes in the area will be on Thibodaux.

He said he thinks Nicholls will be hungry to avenge heartbreaking losses against the Lions in the past two seasons, adding that his team knows what’s at stake in the game.

“I like the Thursday night game. I think it’s good,” Rebowe said. “I think it’s going to be a great crowd and a lot of energy. Anytime you play your rival game, it’s good to have it at home. … For us to be home, hopefully, we can make it a home field advantage and get the crowd behind us. Our guys will be prepared.”


Nicholls is now 1 win away from the Southland Conference Title after beating Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. Nicholls will play rival southeastern tomorrow.

NICHOLLS ATHELETSONE STEP CLOSER