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For the second-straight year, the Nicholls State University football team is going to the playoffs.

For the second-straight year, the team’s fate will be decided at home in Thibodaux.


There was little drama on Sunday when the Colonels’ team, coaches and supporters gathered on campus to watch the NCAA FCS Selection Show on ESPNU. The Colonels knew they were going to the playoffs after winning the Southland Conference Championship on Thursday, which guaranteed the team an automatic bid into the playoffs.

But the Colonels still did get good news on the day in that their bid to host an opening-round was accepted, which will keep the team home for the first-round of the playoffs for a second-straight year.

Nicholls will host San Diego on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at John L. Guidry Stadium. The Toreros earned their way into the playoffs by winning the Pioneer Football League — posting an unblemished 8-0 record in the league and a 9-2 mark on the season.


The Nicholls Nation rejoiced as the Colonels saw their name pop up on the bracket during the televised broadcast.

Rebowe said he was happy to see Nicholls “on the top line”, which meant that the team would be enjoying the comforts of home.

“We have a home game. That’s really, really huge for us,” Rebowe said. “Don’t know a whole lot about our opponent. It’s hard to speculate (before the bracket comes out). There’s so many options you’ve got to do. So coaches are getting on the horn with them right now. We’re going to try and get some film exchanged and we’re ready to start game-planning a little bit.”


Let us help you gameplan a little, Coach Rebowe. Simply put. San Diego is a worthwhile foe.

The Toreros are offense-heavy, averaging 38.5 points per game with 424 total points scored this season.

They average 480.8 yards per game, including 349.2 yards passing.


Quarterback Anthony Lawrence is the Toreros’ best player. He’s arguably one of the best players in all of FCS-level college football. He’s completed 252-of-376 passes this season for 3,785 yards, 35 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions.

The Toreros spread the ball around offensively. Seven players have 10 or more receptions on the season and eight players have caught a touchdown pass on the season. But Lawrence’s favorite weapon, by far, is receiver Michael Bandy who has 79 catches for 1,554 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season.

But if there is a place where San Diego can be attacked, it is defensively. The Toreros sometimes allow points in droves, allowing 27.3 points per game on the season. Their weakness defensively is the Colonels’ strength. They allow 205.5 yards rushing per game, which show allow the Colonels to use their ground-heavy offensive attack to control time of possession.


But both teams have momentum.

The Toreros have won eight-straight games heading into Saturday’s matchup. The Colonels won-out to close their final four regular season games.

Rebowe said the Colonels learned a lot from last year’s postseason ride.


Nicholls made the playoffs last year, but lost a heartbreaker against South Dakota — a game that wasn’t decided until the final seconds of the game.

Rebowe said this time around, the Colonels hope to be on the winning side of the scoreboard — something the team will talk a lot about at practice all week leading up to the day of the football game.

“You never want this to get old,” Rebowe said of the feeling of making the playoffs. “You never want to lose that excitement. Our guys are very excited. But it’s like I just told them — now, it’s time for us to get to work.”


The Nicholls State University team will host san Diego on Saturday afternoon at John L. Guidry Station. The Colonels hope to survice and advance.

SUMITTEDPLAYOFF TIME AGAIN