THIBODAUX, Louisiana – After HBU tied the game with a long field, Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade hit Dai'Jean Dixon for a 44-yard touchdown as time expired as 17
th-ranked Nicholls outlasted the Huskies, 23-17, in Southland Conference football Saturday afternoon at Guidry Stadium.
HBU freshman quarterback
Bailey Zappe completed 9-of-20 passes for a touchdown and two interceptions, while also carrying 12 times 80 yards for the Huskies (1-8, 0-7 SLC). Senior wide receiver
Ethan Fry caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, the second 100-plus yard receiving performance in school history.
Senior linebacker
Garrett Dolan made 16 tackles with his sixth tackle of the game marking the 500th of his career., Sophomore defensive end
Andre Walker had 10 tackles and half a sack while
Raphael Lewis had eight tackles and came up with his third interception of the season.
Fourcade completed 20-of40 passes for 254 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Colonels (7-2, 6-1). Dontrell Taylor rushed 24 times for 103 yards and a touchdown and Kyran Irvin rushed 17 times for 61 yards. Damion Jeanpiere caught six passes for 60 yards, and Mason Roberts and Jarrell Rogers each finished with three catches for 40 yards.
Marcel Andry and Hezekiah White each had six tackles, with Andry posting a pair of sacks. Sonny Laiche also recorded two sacks for the Colonels, while Evan Veron and Austin Dickerson each had an interception.
The Colonels outgained the Huskies, 445-276, with 254 of their yards coming through the air, compared to 125 for HBU. Each team turned the ball over three times, with time of possession and penalties nearly even.
The Colonels got on the board first on Lorran's 50-yard field goal, but the Huskies recovered a muffed punt and responded with a seven-play, 51-yard drive that was capped by Kelly's one-yard touchdown for a 7-3 lead after the first quarter.
HBU got the ball back at their own 15 early in the second quarter, but Zappe ran for a 37-yard gain and hooked up with Fry for a 35-yard completion to the Nicholls 13. Zappe then found Fry for a nine-yard touchdown strike to put HBU up, 14-3, with 9:04 left in the first half. Fonseca hit another field goal, this one from 40 yards out, as time expired to cut the Huskies' lead to 14-6 going into halftime.
Nicholls received the opening kickoff of the second half and scored on a 35-yard field goal by Fonseca. Taylor's three-yard touchdown run put the Colonels in front with 14:37 to go, but their two-point conversion failed. Nicholls would get those two points, however, when Zappe was sacked by Andry for a safety to give Nicholls a 17-14 lead with 10:48 remaining.
HBU got the ball back at their own 40 with just over four minutes remaining, but Zappe was intercepted by Veron on the second play of the drive. Fonseca then missed from 46 yards to give the Huskies the ball back with 1:19 on the clock.
A roughing the passer and targeting penalty on Hezekiah White kept HBU's drive alive, but knocked Zappe out of the game. Sophomore quarterback
Jack Swensen scrambled for a 16-yard gain and set up Chadwick's game-tying 50-yard field goal with 23 seconds left.
The Huskies return for their final home game against Lamar Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. at Husky Stadium. HBU will honor its 27 seniors on Senior Day and honor servicemen and women for Military Appreciation Day. All veterans, current military, first responders and emergency personnel receive free admission, so contact the HBU Athletics ticket office at 281.649.3143 for more information.
