Game Preview: NSU vs. UWG
Nicholls (1-1) football continues this Saturday as the Colonels host the West Georgia Wolves (1-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday in John L. Guidry Stadium.
The Colonels look to bounce back after a 38-20 loss at the hands of Sun Belt opponent Troy last Saturday. Nicholls enters the matchup against West Georgia ranked No. 22 in the FCS media poll, looking to return to the win column.
Big Playmakers to Watch
While the Colonels may not have won against Troy, certain players still had great showings.
Running back Miequle Brock Jr. continued to show why he was the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year last season. Brock Jr. finished the game with 122 all-purpose yards along with two touchdowns and was named SLC Offensive Player of the week.
If the Colonels want any chance of winning this Saturday, Brock Jr. must build off this success.
On the other sideline, West Georgia also looks to establish their running game. Notably, redshirt sophomore running back Latrelle Murrell had 151 all-purpose yards with 129 of those coming on the ground on just 11 carries.
On the defensive side of the ball, seventh-year senior defensive lineman David Hoage is coming off a game with 2.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Hoage led a dominant defense last week that only allowed Samford to score three points.
Keys to Winning
Controlling the Trenches – Saturday could be decided up front, as both teams boast strong offensive lines and running games. Whoever controls the line of scrimmage will give their running back room to operate, and both teams feature star backs capable of breaking off big plays.
Establishing the run early could be the key to controlling the game for both sides.
Turnover Margin – Both defenses will look to create extra possessions through turnovers. Nicholls forced five turnovers in its season opener but came up empty in its match against Troy, while West Georgia recovered three fumbles in its win over Samford.
Ball security should be a priority for both squads entering Saturday’s matchup.
Score Prediction
Colonels 20, Wolves 14 – With two running backs coming off big games and two strong defensive lines, a low-scoring, tightly contested matchup is expected. Nicholls’ running game and a dominant Tommy Rybacki defense could give the Colonels the edge.
