One thing is certain surrounding the Nicholls football game this weekend vs. Stephen F. Austin, one team will earn their first victory of the season.

The Colonels will travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, looking to repeat positive trends emerging from the first four games of the season while limiting the negatives. Head Coach Tim Rebowe said the team enjoyed the immediate impact of some of their younger players but can still improve on both sides of the ball.

This weekend’s matchup provides an opportunity for the Colonels’ offense to find its identity against a Lumberjack defense that has given up the second most points in Southland Conference play through two games. The Colonel offense has scored 17 points over four games, but all points have come in SLC competition.

“Our guys watch film on Sunday and do a great job of learning and moving on,” Rebowe said. “They understand the focus and intensity we have to have for us to get better and it starts on Tuesdays.”

Rebowe is setting a precedent of improvement his first year on campus, with the Tuesday practices having as much enthusiasm and spirited first team competition as the first practices of the season. Despite the record, Rebowe is pleased with the chemistry he is seeing from his team through the losses.

“Every time we come to practice, we’re working to take that next step,” linebacker Hezekiah White said. “One thing I love about my defense is we play with relentless effort. You can’t coach effort.”

White (fourth in tackles in SLC play) , along with a mix of new and old faces on the defensive side of the ball, has helped turn around a once abysmal defense the past two seasons into a much more efficient unit. The Colonels have been inches away from converting forced fumbles and deflected passes into turnovers and extra possessions for an offense that has shown explosive moments in their two SLC games.

“They really help each other when things aren’t going so well and you can see the genuine excitement when things are going well,” Rebowe said. “We just have to keep pushing each other and realize good things are ahead closer than anyone realizes.”

This weekend’s game can be seen live on WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app at 3 p.m.

Nicholls will be coming off a home loss to McNeese State University that was a closer game than the 37-7 final score reflects. In the second quarter, the Colonels fumbled a kick return at midfield following are Cowboy’s touchdown. McNeese converted the turnover into six points on the next play with a 49-yard halfback pass trick play.

The Colonels’ defense tightened up in the second half last weekend, only allowing 10 points in the second half to the third ranked scoring offense in the Southland Conference. The defense forced two fumbles but could not force a turnover, which has been one statistic the Colonels have been focusing on improving this week in practice.

One setback from last weekend’s loss that Rebowe was pleased to hear about was the parking problem caused by more than 6,100 fans attending the game.

The next home game is Oct. 17th against a very beatable Houston Baptist University, will only augment the progress this team has already shown.

“If we continue to practice hard, good things will happen and the results will be there,” Rebowe said.