Nicholls wins big in college football opener
The Nicholls State University football team used four turnovers by the defense to blank Mississippi Valley State in the first half while three Ean Rodrigue touchdown passes and two rushing scores by Tamaj Hoffman carried the offense to a commanding 37-0 lead at the break before the Colonels secured a 44-10 victory Thursday night on Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.
The win was the second in as many openers for head coach Tommy Rybacki. The Colonels (1-0) improved to 3-0 all-time against Mississippi Valley State (0-1) which included a recent win in 2024.
Despite throwing an interception on a deep pass for the first play of the game, Rodrigue bounced back with 59-yard catch-and-run to Jordan Smith before finding Greg Donaldson wide open for a 74-yard score. After Kingston Phan booted a 42-yard field goal early in the second, Hoffman rushed for his first and second career touchdowns for the commanding lead.
The defense set the tone early with a turnover of its own after MVSU drove deep into the red zone. Making his first career start, safety Gavin Duplechin knocked the ball loose on a Delta Devil carry inside the 5-yard line and the ball trickled out of the end zone for a touchback.
Then after a three-and-out, the Nicholls defense stuffed a run on 4th-and-2 and it was all Colonels from then on.
Smith's first touchdown was hauled in on a short cross at midfield and he found a seam down the sideline and outraced the defenders for the early lead. The Colonels followed by forcing its own three-and-out, and Donaldson broke free for a touchdown in his debut for the Red and Gray. Donaldson reached 100 yards on three receptions, becoming the first Colonel since the 2024 finale to tally 100 yards.
On MVSU's third play on the ensuing possession, Zavian Dilworth, also making his debut for the Red and Gray, picked off a pass near midfield. The offense turned that into Phan's first career field goal and a 17-0 lead early in the second.
Later in the quarter, Jhamal Shelby Jr. had a leaping interception to stall an MVSU drive at the Colonel 28. The offense answered with seven straight carries, ending on a Hoffman spin move through the defense for a 13-yard touchdown. He then found the end zone again on a 7-yard score and a 31-0 advantage.
But with less than a minute remaining, MVSU went to the air and Alex Villavaso hit the quarterback as he released the ball, and Antoine Okelo-Johnson joined the turnover party with an interception and 9-yard return to the Delta Devil 21. Rodrigue followed with a strike to Smith in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.
Early in the second half, Kevin Martin Jr. forced a fumble and recovered it, setting up the Colonels' final touchdown of the night. The offense pieced together a short 10-play, 39-yard drive that ended as running back Damondrick Blackburn punched it in from two yards out.
Leading 44-0 with 9:40 remaining in the third, Nicholls pulled most of its starters for the rest of the night. MVSU cracked the scoring column in the fourth when Tyrell Johnson returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown. The Delta Devils tacked on a field goal on their next drive to make the final.
Rodrigue completed 16 of 25 passes for 264 yards. A total of 16 Colonels caught at least one pass, with Donaldson and Karaaz Johnson leading the way with three receptions each.
Hoffman led the rushing attack with 53 yards on seven carries. The Colonels totaled 168 yards on the ground on 41 carries and racked up 515 yards of offense in the win.
Skylar Husband paced the defense with six tackles while Kennon Loftin had five stops. Mississippi Valley State finished with 228 yards of total offense.
Nicholls will head to Kansas State next weekend to take on the Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.