THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls scored touchdowns on its first four drives before HBU answered with a pair of scores, but the Colonels were able to put the game away in the second half for a 48-17 victory in the Southland Conference football opener Saturday night at John L. Guidry Stadium.
 
Sophomore quarterback Desmond Young completed 16-of-28 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns for the Huskies (0-4, 0-1 SLC). Sophomore Tyson Thompson made four catches for 45 yards and freshman Charles King had three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown for the fourth-straight game. Sophomore RJ Smith had five catches for 30 yards and a touchdown and rushed nine times for 25 yards.
 
Freshman linebacker Rodney Dansby and sophomore safety Isaiah Cash each had 11 tackles to lead HBU. Senior linebacker Brennan Young had six stops, an interception and forced a fumble, while junior defensive lineman Philip Ossai had eight tackles, a sack and recovered two fumbles.
 
Senior punter Brady Buell averaged 47.8 yards on 10 attempts, including a long of 65 yards.
 
Lindsey Scott completed 13-of-20 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown and rushed 16 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns for Nicholls (2-2, 1-0). Kohen Granier threw a touchdown pass and an interception. Julien Gums rushed six times for 105 yards and two touchdowns – all in the first quarter – before leaving the game with an injury. Marques Albert rushed 16 times for 108 yards. KJ Franklin had four catches for 101 yards, with Lee Negrotto and Dontaze Costly each making touchdown catches.
 
Ty'Ree Evans made nine tackles and Jacob Parker had seven stops for the Colonels. Quinton Sharkey added four tackles and 1.5 sacks.
 
Nicholls outgained HBU, 650-182, with 421 of those yards coming on the ground. The Colonels turned the ball over six times with four fumbles, a muffed punt and an interception, while the Huskies had only one turnover on a fumble. HBU had nine penalties for 72 yards and Nicholls had four for 45.
 
The Colonels scored on three rushing touchdowns to lead 21-0 after the first quarter, with Gums scoring the first from 16 yards out and the third from four yards. Scott ran in from three yards out in between.
 
Gums' 67-yard run down to the HBU 15 at the end of the first set up Granier's 11-yard touchdown pass to Negrotto to open the scoring in the second.
 
Brennan Young's interception and 19-yard return gave HBU the ball at its own 46. Smith's 14-yard run and a personal foul on Nicholls preceded Desmond Young's 25-yard touchdown pass to King.
 
Each team forced a three-and-out, but Nicholls' Lloyd Nash muffed a punt, which Cash recovered for HBU at the 26. Young then found a wide-open Smith on the left side for a 24-yard touchdown to cut the Colonels' lead to 28-14 with 7:39 left in the half.
 
Nicholls was driving in HBU territory again, but Young forced a fumble by Carrington, which was recovered by Ossai. The Huskies were unable to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs at the Nicholls 48 with 3:04 to go. Scott then ran in from 31 yard out as Nicholls took a 35-14 lead. HBU forced its fourth turnover on the last play of the half, as Ijiyera got a strip sack that was recovered again by Ossai.
 
A 90-minute weather delay immediately followed Lane Botkin returning the second-half kickoff 34 yards out to the HBU 43. The Huskies went three-and-out, then the Colonels marched down the field and Scott capped the 85-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Costly. Gavin Lasseigne added a 26-yard field goal to extend Nicholls' lead to 45-14 with under four minutes to go in the third.
 
In the fourth, Guggenheim's 45-yard run went down to the four-yard line, but HBU stiffened up and Nicholls settled for another short Lasseigne field goal.
 
HBU forced another fumble late in the game, with freshman Zavion Evans making the recovery. The Huskies then scored on Nery Enriquez's first career field goal – a 24-yarder with 4:55 remaining in the game.
 
The Huskies return home to face Northwestern State Saturday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at Husky Stadium. The first-ever HBU Former Athlete Reunion will take place prior to the game at 5 p.m. All former athletes can RSVP now on HBUHuskies.com for two free tickets to the game and free food on the berm in the north endzone.