Photo by: Ryker John Emnace

Running back Jaylon Spears (#2) running through a tackle against SEMO

Nicholls football faced off against UIW in a battle of Southland Conference unbeatens in San Antonio on Saturday.

The game determined which team took control of its conference and playoff destiny.

A UIW win would clinch the conference and an automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision. Nicholls needed to win against UIW and win out to win the conference and get the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Nicholls came out victorious on the backs of running backs Collin Guggenheim and Jaylon Spears.

Guggenheim and Spears combined for over 300 yards in the 45-32 Nicholls victory.

Spears outrushed Guggenheim 160-153, but Guggenheim was the one who got the ball in the endzone, matching his season high for touchdowns with four.

Guggenheim thanked the offensive line for the effectiveness he and Spears had in the game.

“I feel like the O-line really got after it, which made our jobs as running backs a lot easier,” Guggenheim said.

Nicholls started the game slow, falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter.

Gavin Lasseigne opened the scoring for the Colonels with a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter.

After a Quinton Sharkey interception gave the Colonels possession at the UIW 19-yard line, quarterback Pat McQuaide delivered a strike to tight end Lee Negrotto for a touchdown the following play.

Two Guggenheim touchdowns ensured that Nicholls’ scoring did not stop there.

Head Coach Tim Rebowe’s face lit up when he mentioned the offensive line and their effect on the rushing game.

“We were moving the pile, we were opening up holes, they didn’t know where we were coming from,” Rebowe said. “They were challenged last week, we didn’t run the ball well and they responded [this week]. We had those two mules back there running. Jaylen gave us that punch with the outside speed and Collin up the middle.”

Nicholls ended the half up 24-13 after a UIW field goal ended Nicholls’ 24-0 run.

Nicholls came out flat-footed on offense in the second half, punting on its opening drive, but they found a different way to score early in the half.

Defensive lineman Perry Ganci forced a UIW fumble that was recovered by Devante Mathews and returned 58 yards for a Nicholls touchdown.

Mathews said he was just doing his job on the fumble, the same thing he tries to do every day.

“I was just doing my job,” Mathews said. “It’s like the coaches say every day, do your job and everything will come to you,”

Guggenheim got the Colonels out to a 38-13 lead, their biggest of the game, about midway through the third quarter on a 43-yard touchdown rush out of a wildcat formation.

Guggenheim said it was a relief to get that first big run of the season out of the way.

“[My thought was] just to not get caught and find a way to get in the endzone,” Guggenheim said. “I’m glad I finally got to get the first big run of the year and do what I can to help the team.”

Shortly after UIW scored its first touchdown of the half, Guggenheim found the endzone for his fourth and Nicholls’ final touchdown to make it 45-19.

UIW attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring quick touchdowns on its first two drives to close the gap to 13 points with 9:07 remaining.

A Kylan Dupre punt on the ensuing Nicholls drive gave UIW possession with 4:07 remaining and a chance to make it a one-possession game.

Five penalties called on the drive plagued both teams.

Mathews ended the UIW drive with a near pick-six after intercepting a UIW pass that no offensive player could reach.

Mathews felt he redeemed himself with the late interception after dropping one earlier in the game.

“I just saw the ball. I was hoping he would throw it because before that I had an opportunity to get an interception, but I knocked it out of bounds,” Mathews said

Rebowe recognized the importance of this game and those to follow. He said this game and the next two are playoff games.

“This week was the playoffs,” Rebowe said. “We went 1-0 this week and it’s playoffs again next week for us. There’s a lot of ramifications for the conference and I’m glad we’re coming back home.”

Nicholls takes on Lamar University at home next week, a must-win if Nicholls hopes to win the conference and make the playoff.