After suffering a hard loss against the Oregon Ducks two weeks ago, the Nicholls football team applied what they learned from the experience to their practices and came back to defeat Western Michigan University 27-23.
Running back Marcus Washington and quarterback Kalen Henderson each scored a touchdown in the first quarter to give Nicholls an early 14-0 lead. Eight minutes into the second quarter, Washington managed to rush four yards for another touchdown.
Henderson was taken down by Western Michigan’s Jarrell McKinney with two minutes left in the second quarter, resulting in a broken fibula.  Despite his early departure from the field, he managed to lead his team in passing and rushing yards with 159 and 87 respectively.
Henderson looks forward to what the rest of the season has in store for the Colonels. “We continue to move the ball effectively, so I know we can be an explosive offense in this conference,” he said. The Colonels had a 21-9 lead going into the second half as a result of his play.
With Beaux Hebert suffering lingering injuries from Oregon and Landry Klann out for the season due to shoulder surgery, fourth-string quarterback Tuskani Figaro was left to lead the Colonels’ offense for the remaining half of the game.    
The Colonels did not see much action during the third quarter. Two field goals by Andrew Dolan in the fourth quarter put Nicholls in a precarious 27-23 lead. That lead was challenged in the final moments of the game Saturday evening. With one minute left on the clock, the Broncos were in position to score and seal the game, but cornerback Josh Dewey intercepted the pass to solidify victory for the Colonels. This is only the third time in school history that the Colonels have defeated an FBS opponent.
Dewey credited his performance in part to his teammate, TJ Lumar. “TJ kept telling me to be more aggressive when the ball is in the air so I was thinking ‘I have to be more aggressive. I can’t let TJ down. It’s his senior year,'” he said.  
The Colonels realize that it is not wise to get comfortable after a win. “Our victory was long overdue, but at some point we have to put that behind us and focus on the next game,” Dewey said.
Nicholls football returns to action this Saturday against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette at 6 p.m. on the Ragin’ Cajun’s home field.