Senior kicker Alex Romero nailed a 23-yard game-winning field goal with nine seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and Nicholls rallied after blowing an early 20-0 lead to beat Azusa Pacific 30-28, Saturday afternoon in John L. Guidry Stadium. “I was relieved after the kick was good,” Romero said. “Our team played really hard and I just wanted to make up from my previous mistakes in the game.”
The Colonels put points on the board first when senior fullback Broderick Cole finished a 73-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run at the 11:46 mark in the Colonels’ opening possession. Romero tacked on the extra point to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead.
Nicholls resumed possession after the Colonels’ defense forced an Azusa Pacific punt and mounted a 86-yard drive that was capped off by senior running back Cal Jones’s seven-yard touchdown run to put the Colonels up 13-0 with 6:09 remaining in the first.
Both teams were held scoreless in the second quarter and Nicholls went into halftime still leading 13-0.
Despite leading by just 13 points at the half, the Colonels appeared to be in complete control of the game. Nicholls defense held Azusa to zero first downs and 18 yards of total offense in the first half.
APU received the ball following halftime, but sophomore cornerback Dominique Daniels cut the Cougars’ drive short by intercepting a pass and returning it for 27 yards to the Azusa Pacific two-yard line.
Three plays after the interception, senior running back Joseph Tobias found the end zone for a one-yard touchdown. Romero’s PAT put the Colonels up 20-0.
Both teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the third quarter.
Azusa Pacific put together a 13-play, 70-yard drive until the Colonels defense stopped the offense on third down at the Colonels 10-yard line. The Cougars lined up to kick a field goal but the Colonels special teams unit failed to realize the fake, and Azusa quarterback Rodney Trim found Jon Davis on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 14:10 remaining in the game. Following the extra point, Nicholls’ lead was cut short 20-7.
Nicholls offense was quick to respond and junior quarterback Ladarius Webb broke a 78-yard run for a touchdown. After Romero’s extra point, the Colonels led 27-7 at the 13:02 mark.
Azusa scored three unanswered touchdowns on its next three possessions and took the lead for the first time in the game 28-27 at the 1:27 mark.
With 1:23 remaining in the game and trailing by one point 27-28, the Colonels offense needed big plays and looked to Romero and sophomore quarterback Zach Chauvin.
On the final drive, Chauvin completed four consecutive passes for 38 yards and scrambled for a 19-yard gain. After a Cougar pass interference penalty on the next play, Nicholls called on Romero who nailed a 23-yard field goal to win the game 30-28.
“I am extremely proud of the way our players fought back on the final drive,” head coach Jay Thomas said.
Colonel fans were probably surprised to see Webb taking snaps under center in the game Saturday but Webb proved to be effective while rushing for 120 yards on eight carries and having a touchdown on a 78-yard run.
Webb was named Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the game.
Webb gave credit to the Colonels’ offensive line for establishing the rushing attack.
“The offensive line opened up holes for us and really worked hard in the entire game,” Webb said.
Romero was named Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his game winning field goal and kickoffs, two of which were touchbacks.
The Colonels will have this week off and then open up conference play at home when they host Northwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 6 in John L. Guidry Stadium.
