The Colonels earned their second win of the season Saturday afternoon in a 31-7 rout of McNeese State at John L. Guidry Stadium.

The win snapped a six-game losing streak for Nicholls (2-6, 2-2 SLC) and marked its first victory in nearly two months, dating back to the season-opening win over UIW.

Long Time Rivals

The Colonels and the Cowboys have shared their in-state rivalry since 1972. Overall, McNeese (2-6, 1-3 SLC) has dominated the series, but Nicholls has begun to change the narrative.

With Saturday’s victors, the Colonels have now won 5-straight against McNeese — a program record. The 24-point margin also stands as Nicholls’ largest in the rivalry’s history.

A Return to Form for the Colonels

Since winning over UIW in week 0, Nicholls had struggled in six consecutive losses. That wasn’t the case Saturday, as the Colonels came out energized and explosive. 

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ean Rodrigue, a Thibodaux native, made his first career start in place of New Mexico State transfer Deuce Hogan. Rodrigue made his presence known early, getting Nicholls on the board with a 34-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Gabriel Showalter added a 22-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining in the opening period to give Nicholls a 10-0 lead.

McNeese scored it’s lone touchdown on a 22-yard pass from quarterback Jake Strong to senior tight end Logan Mauldin.

The second half belonged to Nicholls. Redshirt senior Ty Marsh returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown — his second pick-six of the season and third of his career — early in the third quarter.

Shane Lee capped a 17-play drive that spanned nearly nine minutes with a 1-yard rushing touchdown out of wildcat formation to extend the lead to 24-7. 

Nicholls running back Miequle Brock Jr. rushed for 104 yards on 17 carries while Lee added 72 more yards and a score. The Colonels’ 303 rushing yards were their most since 2023, when they recorded 349 against Lamar.

McNeese tried to rally with a late fourth-down conversion attempt late in the game, but failed to convert. On the ensuing play, Rodrigue hit wide receiver Karaaz Johnson on a 69-yard touchdown catch off of play action.

Rodrigue finished 12-of-20 passing, with 161 yards and a touchdown, while adding 87 yards on and a score on the ground.

The Colonels sealed the 31-7 victory when Laurence Sullivan Jr. picked off Strong for the second time, allowing Nicholls to run out the clock.

Nicholls put together its best offensive performance of the year, scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half and getting a season-high of 464 total yards.

The Colonel’s will look to build on the win next Saturday in their homecoming matchup against Houston Christian University.