Nicholls gets on track with win over McNeese

Led by four turnovers by the defense, efficient offense and solid special teams play, the Nicholls State University football team cruised in its Southland Conference opener at McNeese with a 31-10 victory Saturday night at Cowboy Stadium.

The win is the first for the Colonels (1-3) on the season and more importantly, gives Nicholls a 1-0 mark in the SLC as they head into a two-game homestand, starting with Homecoming on Oct. 7. With the loss, McNeese slipped to 0-5 on the year and 0-1 in league play.

Defensive back Tyler Morton was responsible for two of the turnovers, both coming in the second half which included a highlight interception and a game-sealing forced fumble. On offense, Collin Guggenheim rushed for his seventh career 100-yard game with 103 on the night, and threw his first touchdown pass as a Colonel.

After misfortunes on the opening punt the last two games, Nicholls caught a break with McNeese muffed the first punt at the 5 and Maurquel Price jumped on it for the turnover. Out of the wildcat formation, Guggenheim found Neno Lemay in the flat for a short touchdown pass.

Nicholls doubled its lead in the second quarter and after McNeese scored for the first time, used a field goal and a Quinton Sharkey interception return for a touchdown for 10 unanswered for a 24-7 advantage at the break.

In the second half, Nicholls kept a two-score lead before going on to win for the third consecutive time in the series – a first since the late 1980s.

McNeese outgained Nicholls in offensive yardage, 365-293, but the Colonels chewed up 35 minutes of possession, helped by converting 7 of 12 on third down. Quarterback Pat McQuaide put together an efficient showing, completing 14 of 24 for 120 yards and a touchdown.

McQuaide’s touchdown pass went to David Robinson Jr. for 25 yards for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. The drive was set up when Kylan Dupre punted near the goal line and an acrobatic play by Ethan Lee pinned McNeese inside the 5. The defense forced a three-and-out, giving the offense a short field to work with.

But McNeese answered with its own touchdown to trim the deficit in half as Nate Glantz found Jon McCall for a 25-yard score.

Before the intermission, the Colonels pieced together a scoring drive, ending with a short field goal by Gavin Lasseigne with less than three minutes remaining. Then on McNeese’s second play on the ensuing possession, Sharkey stepped in front of a Glantz pass and returned it 22 yards for a defensive touchdown.

In the third quarter, McNeese made it 24-10 on a 44-yard field goal by Garrison Smith. A Colonel fumble in the red zone briefly swung some momentum the Cowboys way, but Morton gave the ball back to the Red and Gray on a diving catch down the sideline.

Early in the fourth, the Colonels made the final score with a 12-play, 80-yard drive with Jaylon Spears punching it in from two yards out. Lemay, who had five receptions for 40 yards, put Nicholls inside the 5-yard line with an impressive third-down catch.

Lee led the defense in tackles with seven and recovered the late fumble to ice the game. Perry Ganci and Joe Mason each had a sack for the defense. The unit also had two turnover-on-downs, started with a stuffed run on 4th-and-3 on the Cowboys’ opening possession.

For the specialists, Dupre averaged 46 yards on four punts and booted a long of 59 while Spears had a 48-yard kickoff return. Lasseigne’s field goal was for 25 yards and he finished 4-for-4 in PATs.

Nicholls returns to Guidry Stadium for the first time since the season opener, hosting HCU for Homecoming on Oct. 7. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.