The Colonels will return to John L. Guidry Stadium this Saturday for their annual Homecoming matchup against the Houston Christian University Huskies.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. in Thibodaux, with festivities such as Family Day presented by Synergy Bank.
The Colonels (2-6, 2-2 SLC) enter the game on a high note after snapping a six-game losing streak with last week’s 31-7 win over McNeese State. The Huskies (2-6, 0-4 SLC) come to Thibodaux looking to rebound after a 14-38 loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
Homecoming Festivities
Saturday’s contest also marks Nicholls’ annual Homecoming and Family Day. The day’s events will include free family tailgating next to the stadium at no charge and a Colonel pep rally before kickoff.
Students receive free admission with their Colonel Card and can purchase up to five guest tickets for $5 each. The Homecoming celebration will bring alumni and families together for one of the university’s most spirited weekends of the year.
Big Playmakers & New Faces
Nicholls’ offense came to life last weekend behind redshirt sophomore quarterback Ean Rodrigue who made his first start of his career. Rodrigue provided a spark for a Colonel offense that had struggled to find rhythm prior.
Rodrigue’s 87 yards on the ground, along with 161 yards passing and two scores, will need to be built upon if the Colonels want to extend their winning streak. The Colonel’s also rushed for a season-high 303 rushing yards against McNeese, led by 2024 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Miequle Brock Jr.
Brock Jr. rushed for 109 yards, averaging just over six yards a carry. Redshirt freshman Shane Lee accompanied Brock Jr. with 72 yards of his own on the ground on just 10 carries, along with a touchdown.
For the Huskies, while on paper the loss blowout loss to Southeastern may look bad, the team was within striking distance early in the second half.
Redshirt junior cornerback Jaden King returned one of the Huskies three interceptions 50 yards for a pick-six to make it a 21-14 game before HCU allowed 17 straight points to close.
The Huskies enter Saturday’s matchup with the second nationally ranked in interceptions, with freshman Tyran Chappell tied for second individually with four.
Keys for Success
Ground and Pound
The rushing attack for Nicholls and the offense was the best it’s been all season due to the run game. Rodrigue gives the Colonels a more complex offense with his ability to keep the defense guessing. The offense line will need to build off last week’s success to ensure another dominant performance.
Don’t Throw Towards No. 11
As mentioned previously, Tyrann Chappell is among the nation’s best takeaway threats, and he’s only a freshman. The last thing the Colonels need to do is to give the Huskies extra possessions, so avoiding his side of the field will be key.
Convert, Convert, Convert
The Colonels rank 111th in the FCS in third-down conversions and 71st in fourth-down conversions. They cannot afford third-and-longs or miss out on points by failing to convert.
Score Prediction
Nicholls 28, HCU 10: Nicholls enters this game with all the momentum on its side. The offense seems to have found its spark, and one thing is for sure. If the offense can manage the time of possession like last game, holding the ball for more than 38 minutes, the defense can perform and help Nicholls run away with the win.
