Nicholls football back on conference track, faces Sam Houston State

The Nicholls State University football team will face its second Southland Conference opponent
of the season, Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas.

The Colonels started off their week coming in at number 23 in the FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll for
the first time in ten years. The last time the Colonels were nationally ranked was in 2007 when
they reached number 25 in the same poll. Nicholls is also currently ranked number 28 in the
STATS FCS Poll putting them just outside the top 25 group.

The Sam Houston State Bearkats are the defending league champions and are currently sitting at
number three in the FCS top 25. They are 2-0 on the season with wins against the University of
Richmond and Prairie View A&M University.

While the Colonels cracked their eight-game losing streak against the McNeese State University
Cowboys, they have not defeated the Bearkats since their championship season in 2005. In their
meeting vs. the Bearkats last season, sophomore quarterback Chase Fourcade threw for 254
yards and a touchdown and rushed for another. The Colonels ended up losing 38-21 on their
home turf in John L. Guidry Stadium.

The Colonels dominant 44-13 victory over the Prairie View A&M Panthers last weekend has
carried them in high spirits throughout the week in preparation for Sam Houston, and has also
translated into some Soouthland honors.

Junior kicker Lorran Fonseca earned Southland Special Teams Player of the Week after
completing 47- and 49-yard field goal kicks against the Panthers. After the Colonels’ close
encounter with the SEC’s Texas A&M University, junior wide receiver Damion Jeanpiere Jr.
stole the Southland’s Offensive Player of the Week when he covered 174 yards on five
receptions. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Allen Pittman logged 16 tackles to earn the LWSA’s
weekly honor.

The Colonel defense has jump-started their season with 12.0 sacks, placing them 8th in the FCS.
Senior Terrell Encalade has recorded 4.0 sacks and leads the way for the defensive effort. Junior
Kenny Dotson follows with 3.0 sacks while sophomore Sully Laiche has 1.5.

The team will have to continue to find success in the red zone if they want to find success against
powerhouse Sam Houston. So far this season, the Colonels have turned all nine of their
opportunities in the red zone into points with five of these chances turning into touchdowns.

Nicholls is also currently one of 14 teams in the FCS with a 100% conversion rate.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight, Sept. 23 in Huntsville, TX. The contest will air on
ESPN3 and can be listened to on ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM and KBZE 105.9 FM.