Photo by: Nicholls Athletics

Nicholls celebrates winning the River Bell Trophy in 2021

Nicholls State University football takes on Southeastern Louisiana University in the annual River Bell Classic on Thursday, Nov. 16.

The game in Hammond is set to kick off at 6 p.m.

For fans who cannot attend, ESPN+ will broadcast the game.

Quick Facts:

• Southeastern won last year’s matchup 40-17
• Southeastern leads the all-time series 17-16
• Nicholls is 5-5 and 6-0 in conference play
• Southeastern is 3-7 and 3-3 in conference play
• Nicholls’ S Tyler Morton is tied for the third most interceptions (4) in the Football Championship Subdivision
• Nicholls’ defense is second in force turnovers (24) in the FCS

Many Nicholls players were left with a sour taste in their mouth after last year’s loss and players like David Robinson Jr. are hoping for a different result in this year’s matchup.

Nicholls receiver David Robinson Jr. wants to return the River Bell Trophy to Thibodaux in his final season.

“I want to bring the trophy back to Thibodaux, I don’t like the way it feels when our trophy case looks a little less full,” Robinson Jr. said. “[The Riverbell Trophy is still in Hammond but the plan is that it’s coming back to Thibodaux this Thursday.”

Quarterback Pat McQuaide has only been at Nicholls for one season, but understands the importance of this rivalry.

“It would be great to get that trophy back to Thib[odaux], this game means a ton being the rivalry that it is, so it’s time for the trophy to come back home to Thibodaux,” McQuaide said.

The key to winning against Southeastern is to play like the team has all season long said McQuaide

“[We’ll win] by taking it one play at a time like we have done all year and trusting in each other to get the job done in Hammond tonight,” McQuaide said.

McQuaide and the team will have to get through a few roadblocks on the Southeastern defense to do so.

A few of the defensive team leaders include cornerback Ian Goodly, defensive lineman Arlen William, and defensive back Victor Tademy.

Goodly leads Southeastern with 101 total tackles on the season and adds a forced fumble.

Williams leads the team with six sacks on the season and Tademy leads the team with three interceptions. 

McQuaide said the key to success against the Southeastern defense is to fight on each play.

“We need to keep the same mentality that we have used all year of playing each play for what it is and continuing to fight one play at a time and we will be successful,” McQuaide said.

Final Score Prediction:

48-38 Nicholls