SFA Wraps Up Road Schedule with Tilt at 16th-Ranked Nicholls

Saturday, November 10

Thibodaux, La. / Guidry Stadium

3 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

No. 16 Nicholls

Photo by: SFA Athletics

SFA Wraps Up Road Schedule with Tilt at 16th-Ranked Nicholls

11/7/2018 10:57:00 AM | Football

‘Jacks to take on fifth ranked opponent in 2018 following bye weekend, embark on second journey to the Pelican State this season

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

THE KICKOFF
After enjoying a weekend off from competition with its bye week this past Saturday, the SFA football team will return to the gridiron for game action Saturday, Nov. 10 as the Lumberjacks embark on their final road trip of the 2018 season. SFA will make its second journey of the season to the Pelican State when SFA visits Southland Conference adversary Nicholls in Thibodaux, Louisiana, for a 3 p.m. kickoff inside John L. Guidry Stadium. The Colonels, who enter the game tied for the league lead, will be the fifth nationally-ranked opponent the 'Jacks have faced this fall and the fourth team ranked among the FCS top 25.

FOLLOWING THE LUMBERJACKS
Saturday afternoon's game will be broadcast live regionally on Cox Sports Television and will be simulcast nationally on ESPN3, subject to blackout in Cox's territory. Cox Sports TV is available on cable providers throughout Louisiana, Texas and the Gulf South, while ESPN3 can be streamed everywhere via ESPN.com and the ESPN app. Ken Berthelot will provide play-by-play of the live broadcast as Wayde Keiser will contribute analysis of the game. Rob Meyers, the voice of the Lumberjacks, will have the play-by-play call of the game alongside color commentary from Kevin Langford on Q107.7 FM, available online at Q1077.com as well as through the Lumberjack Sports Network on the TuneIn app. Live stats will be available at GeauxColonels.com, complemented by Twitter updates from @SFA_Football.

AGAINST RANKED OPPOSITION
This weekend will mark the 101st time in program history SFA will be taking on a nationally-ranked opponent when it steps onto the turf of Manning Field to face the Colonels. Nicholls will be the third team ranked No. 16 in the nation according to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches' poll the 'Jacks have taken on this season. SFA played both Sam Houston State in the 93rd Battle of the Piney Woods (Oct. 6) and Central Arkansas (Oct. 13) when each were ranked No. 16 nationally in the AFCA FCS poll. The Colonels check in at No. 17 in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 and are currently the highest-ranked team in the Southland. The 'Jacks are 36-61-3 (.375) all-time against nationally-ranked opposition, including SFA's season opening loss at No. 18 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)-ranked Mississippi State, a narrow 17-10 defeat at No. 11 McNeese (Sept. 29), a setback against 16th-ranked Sam Houston State and a close 10-point defeat versus No. 16 UCA (Oct. 13) inside Homer Bryce Stadium. Five out of the last six seasons the 'Jacks have earned a win over a nationally-ranked team, dating back to Sept. 29, 2012, when SFA upended No. 12 UCA (42-37) in Nacogdoches. In seven of the last nine seasons, the 'Jacks have taken down a ranked opponent beginning with a 16-13 home victory over No. 7 McNeese on Oct. 10, 2009. During that span, SFA has earned a total of 10 victories over top-25 programs and holds a record of 10-24 (.294) against nationally-ranked opposition. Of those 10 triumphs, five came against top-10 teams. The Lumberjacks' most recent win against a ranked opponent took place during the 2016 season when SFA defeated 13th-ranked McNeese 31-28 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In 2015, the 'Jacks edged No. 21 Southeastern Louisiana 28-27 on the road and shocked sixth-ranked McNeese 31-16 in Louisiana late in the 2014 season during SFA's run to the FCS playoffs. That same season, the 'Jacks earned an impressive 27-17 win over eighth-ranked Southeastern Louisiana in Nacogdoches. For the 17th time SFA and Nicholls will meet with one of the two teams being ranked among the country's top 25 as Saturday afternoon's contest will represent the fifth time the 'Jacks have taken on a ranked Colonel squad. SFA has gone 2-2 against Nicholls when the Colonels are ranked, including a 24-21 upset of No. 15 Nicholls in 1987 and a 17-14 victory over the 23rd-ranked Colonels in 2002. When the two teams met in 2017 in Texas' oldest town, Nicholls entered the game ranked No. 17 nationally and the Colonels were tabbed as the 16th best team in the nation when the 'Jacks hosted Nicholls in 2007.

SFA OFF THE BYE
SFA has been moderately successful following its bye weekend in recent history. The 'Jacks have gone 6-4 (.600) in games following their off weekend since 2008 and own a 9-9 record after their bye week this millennium.

'JACKS ON NOV. 10
For the 12th time in program history, the 'Jacks will be stepping onto the gridiron for competition on Nov. 10. SFA owns a 4-6-1 (.364) record on the date with the Lumberjacks' most recent Nov. 10 game taking place in 2012, a 42-27 loss at Southeastern Louisiana. Having played on the date just four times since 1990, SFA's last Nov. 10 win came in 2001 with a 35-13 home triumph over Southwest Texas (now Texas State). Saturday will be the first time the 'Jacks have taken on Nicholls on the date.

SCOUTING THE COLONELS
2018: 6-3 overall, 5-2 Southland Conference (T-1st)
Last Three Games: Win at Houston Baptist (41-20), Win vs. (rv/rv) UIW (48-21), Loss at Abilene Christian (28-12)
Head Coach: Tim Rebowe (LSU, 1987). Fourth season at Nicholls (22-21, .512); Fourth season overall (22-21, .512)
Key Offensive Players:
• #9 Chase Fourcade (Jr., QB): 152-of-254 (59.8%) for 2,058 yds., 14 TDs, 70-yd. long, 228.7 yds. per game, 6 INTs
• #1 Dontrell Taylor (Jr., RB): 70 carries for 582 yds., 8.3 yds. per rush, 4 TDs, 66-yd. long, 72.8 yds. per game
• #2 Kendall Bussey (Jr., RB): 94 carries for 379 yds., 4 yds. per rush, 4 TDs, 40-yd. long, 42.1 yds. per game
• #9 Chase Fourcade (Jr., QB): 97 carries for 350 yds., 3.6 yds. per rush, 7 TDs, 30-yd. long, 38.9 yds. per game
• #28 Julien Gums (Fr., RB): 46 carries for 349 yds., 7.6 yds. per rush, 2 TDs, 68-yd. long, 69.8 yds. per game
• #30 Kyran Irvin (Jr., RB): 54 carries for 264 yds., 4.9 yds. per rush, 22-yd. long, 44 yds. per game
• #5 Dai'Jean (So., WR): 38 catches for 529 yds., 13.9 yds. per catch, 5 TDs, 55-yd. long, 58.8 yds. per game
• #3 Damion Jeanpiere Jr. (Sr., WR): 30 catches for 586 yds., 19.5 yds. per catch, 2 TDs, 70-yd. long, 65.1 yds. per game
• #6 Gabe Fuselier (Sr., WR): 18 catches for 193 yds., 10.7 yds. per catch, 2 TDs, 42-yd. long, 24.1 yds. per game
• #33 Stefano Guarisco (Jr., WR): 14 catches for 204 yds., 14.6 yds. per catch, 65-yd. long, 25.5 yds. per game
Key Defensive Players:
• #34 Khristian Mims (Jr., DB): 52 tackles (39 solo), 1.5 TFL for -5 yds., 3 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble
• #31 Corey Abraham (Sr., DB): 39 tackles (32 solo), 3 TFL for -15 yds., 1 pass breakups
• #47 Allen Pittman (Jr., LB): 37 tackles (19 solo), 3.5 TFL for -20 yds., 2 sacks for -17 yds., 1 forced fumble
• #48 Evan Veron (Jr., LB): 36 tackles (30 solo), 18 TFL for -80 yds., 6 sacks for -49 yds., 2 pass breakups, 2 QBH, 1 fumble recovery
• #25 Laryon James (Jr., LB): 34 tackles (18 solo), 3 TFL for -13 yds., 1.5 sacks for -10 yds., 3 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries
• #58 Hezekiah White (Sr., LB): 32 tackles (22 solo), 2 TFL for -3 yds.
• #44 Ahmani Martin (Sr., DB): 32 tackles (29 solo), 4 TFL for -22 yds., 2 sacks for -18 yds., 1 INT, 4 pass breakups, 2 QBH, 2 forced fumbles
• #55 Sully Laiche (Jr., DL): 31 tackles (21 solo), 13.5 TFL for -79 yds., 7.5 sacks for -64 yds., 2 pass breakups, 2 QBH, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble

OPPONENT SYNOPSIS
In his fourth season at the helm, head coach Tim Rebowe has the Colonels in the Southland title race once again. One season removed from making its fourth appearance in the FCS playoffs after finishing league play 7-2 in 2017 and going 8-4 overall, Nicholls is in a three-way tie for the conference lead with a 5-2 Southland record and a 6-3 overall mark. The Colonels are tied with both McNeese and the University of the Incarnate Word as the trio sit one game ahead of Abilene Christian, UCA, Lamar and Sam Houston State, who all own a 4-3 league record. Helping Nicholls earn an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs and host an opening-round game for the first time in program history, Rebowe was named a finalist for the 2017 Eddie Robinson Award, which recognizes the FCS Coach of the Year. The Colonels enter Saturday's game having won five of their last six contests after halting a two-game slide. Nicholls gained national attention across all of college football the opening week of the season with a 26-23 overtime win at the Big 12 Conference's Kansas. Following a 42-17 setback at FBS Tulane and a 20-10 loss at then 15th-ranked McNeese, the Colonels routed No. 11 Sam Houston State 27-7 in Thibodaux before rattling off wins over Lamar (50-27), Northwestern State (28-10), UIW (48-21) and Houston Baptist (41-20) this past weekend. Relying heavily on its running game, Nicholls has racked up 2,071 rushing yards this year and has four different players who have accumulated nearly 350 yards or more on the ground. With junior starting quarterback Chase Fourcade leading the offense, the Colonels have also had a balanced air attack as the signal caller has thrown for 2,058 yards and 14 touchdowns. Averaging 230.1 rushing yards per game, Nicholls' running game ranks second in the 11-team conference as the Colonels' 461.4 total offensive yards per contest rank third in the Southland. Junior running backs Dontrell Taylor and Kendall Bussey lead Nicholls' ground attack with Taylor having tallied 582 yards on 70 carries and Bussey 379 yards on 94 rushing attempts. Taylor's 72.8 running yards per game rank fifth in the league. Giving up just 22 points per game, the Colonels' scoring defense is tops in the conference along with their total defense, which gives up only 336.4 yards per contest. Nicholls ranks second in the Southland in rushing defense, allowing opponents to gain just 106.8 yards on the ground per outing, and third in passing defense (229.7 YPG). Led by junior defensive lineman Sully Laiche's 7.5 sacks for a loss of 64 yards, the Colonels' defense has claimed a league-best 35 sacks for an impressive 269 yards lost.

SERIES INFORMATION
The 'Jacks and the Colonels will meet for the 35th time on the gridiron Saturday as SFA owns a commanding 25-9 (.735) record in the all-time series. In Thibodaux, the 'Jacks have gone 11-5 (.688) against Nicholls and are 7-2 (.778) in their last nine trips to the Pelican State in the series since 2000. SFA owns a 14-4 (.778) record versus the Colonels inside Homer Bryce Stadium and has suffered a home defeat to Nicholls just twice in the last 30 years. Having won eight of the last 10 meetings with the Colonels, the 'Jacks owned an eight-game win streak in the series from 2008-15 before it was snapped with a double overtime setback (35-28) at Nicholls in 2016. A year ago, the then 17th-ranked Colonels handed SFA a 34-13 loss in Nacogdoches. It marked just the second time in the 34-year history of the series Nicholls had won back-to-back games, doing so in 1990-91 as well.

PACE ON PACE
SFA features a very talented wide receiver corps in 2018 and All-Southland Second Team selection Tamrick Pace is on pace to etch his name in the program's record book. Two weeks ago in the game against Lamar, Pace reeled in a game-high seven catches for 158 yards and two scores to move into 10th place in career touchdown receptions among all former Lumberjack receivers, while climbing to 16th on SFA's all-time career receiving yards list. In three seasons donning the Purple and White, Pace has accumulated 1,901 receiving yards and has claimed 18 touchdown receptions. The junior needs just 21 catches and 165 receiving yards to break into the Lumberjack top-10 career list in both of those categories. Claiming four catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns in the 93rd Battle of the Piney Woods against then 11th-ranked Sam Houston State two weeks ago, Pace became the first SFA receiver to record multiple touchdown receptions in a game since tight end Nick Jones did so on Sept. 24, 2016. In the Lumberjacks' 24-21 home win over ACU on Sept. 22, Pace reeled in five catches for 72 yards and on opening weekend at SEC mainstay Mississippi State, Pace was the second-leading receiver in the game with five catches for 73 yards against the FBS 18th-ranked Bulldogs. His 158 yards versus Lamar were the most receiving yards in a game by a Lumberjack receiver since he hauled in eight catches for 187 yards and a touchdown at Houston Baptist on Nov. 12, 2016.

13TH 3,000-YARD PASSER
Junior quarterback Jake Blumrick completed 25 of his 42 pass attempts for 335 yards and a pair of touchdowns two weeks ago against the Cardinals. He became the 13th signal caller in program history to reach 3,000 yards passing in his career and has now amassed 3,119 passing yards in two seasons taking snaps behind center to rank 13th on SFA's all-time career list for that category. Blumrick needs only 199 more passing yards to move up to 12th on the all-time career list and needs just 303 yards to reach 11th place. Over the last three games, Blumrick has completed 71-of-116 passes (61.2%) for 966 yards and six touchdowns. The gunslinger from Pearland, Texas, has thrown for at least 270 yards, completed 20 passes and tossed two touchdowns in each of the previous three games.

SPEEDY GOREE
Senior wide receiver Terian Goree continues to lead the Lumberjacks' ultra-talented wideout group, owning 50 receptions on the season for 532 yards. He has recorded multiple catches each game this fall, including a career-high 11 at then 11th-ranked McNeese, and has hauled in at least six receptions in each of the last three games. Collecting 288 receiving yards over the last three outings, Goree notched back-to-back 100-yard games with a game-high nine catches for 106 yards at HBU following a career-high 122 yards on six receptions against then 16th-ranked UCA in Nacogdoches. In the game against the Bears, Goree sprinted for an 85-yard touchdown on an inside screen pass for the longest receiving play by a 'Jack since 1997.

A PERFECT STORM
Junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz is a perfect 83-for-83 on point-after attempts for his career, including an unblemished 18-for-18 this season. Ruiz, who is an impressive 9-for-10 on field goal attempts from 40 yards or farther for his career, has knocked through his two longest field goals of his career this season. Against UCA (Oct. 13), Ruiz nailed a career-long 48-yarder and versus Lamar two weekends ago, he punched through a 46-yarder. For the year, Ruiz is 6-for-8 (75%) on field goal attempts, including one that was blocked, and has been placed on both the September and October watch lists for the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award. The award recognizes place-kickers at the FCS, NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA levels for their excellence on the football field for the season and for continued community service during their offseason.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite gaining 335 yards through the air and outscoring the visiting Cardinals 17-7 in the second half, including 10-0 in the fourth quarter, SFA came one touchdown shy (24-17) of Lamar on homecoming. The 'Jacks held Lamar quarterback Jordan Hoy, who claimed Southland Offensive Player of the Week honors this week after throwing for 346 yards and four touchdowns in a win over No. 19 UCA, to just 72 passing yards and forced a pair of turnovers on fumbles in front of an energetic homecoming crowd.

-SFA-