HOUSTON – Nicholls' Gavin Lasseigne made a 43-yard field goal as time expired as the Colonels escaped with a 19-17 victory over HCU in Southland Conference football Saturday night at Husky Stadium. Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University (HBU), underwent a name change in September 2022.
 
Sophomore quarterback Justin Fomby completed 27-of-38 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for the Huskies (2-3, 1-1 SLC). Junior wide receiver Vernon Harrell led HCU with six catches for 86 yards, with junior wide receivers Karl Reynolds and Deon Cormier each catching a touchdown. Freshman running back Nate Livingston rushed 12 times for 55 yards and had three catches for 32 yards.
 
Sophomore linebacker Rodney Dansby registered 18 tackles, while senior linebacker Brennan Young had 16 tackles and a sack for HCU. Junior linebacker Jalyx Hunt had 11 stops and three quarterback hurries. Sophomore safeties Isaiah Cash and Xavier Toliver each recovered a fumble.
 
Leonard Kelly completed 20-of-31 passes for 217 yards for Nicholls (1-5, 1-1). Julien Gums rushed 22 times for 84 yards, while Collin Guggenhiem rushed 15 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. KJ Franklin led the Colonels with eight catches for 82 yards.
 
Kaiden Jones and Kylin White had five tackles each for Nicholls and Alex Villavaso had a pair of sacks and a forced fumble. Brandon Lairy came up with the game's lone interception.
 
Nicholls outgained HCU, 409-352, and led in first downs, 23-16. The Colonels had 192 yards on the ground to the Huskies' 72. There were no penalties in the game until the 6:42 mark of the third quarter, with Nicholls finishing with three for 21 yards and HCU six for 61 yards.
 
After HCU turned the ball over on downs on the opening possession, Nicholls drove and Kelly scrambled for a first down at the 1-yard line. The Huskies turned the Colonels back, with Young coming up with a big sack, as Nicholls settled for Lasseigne's 27-yard field goal.
 
Lasseigne missed from 30 yards early in the second quarter, then the Huskies later stopped the Colonels on a 4^th and goal. Fomby was intercepted by Lairy at the HCU 12-yard line, setting up Lasseigne's 22-yard field goal to make it 6-0 with 2:21 remaining in the half.
 
HCU drove into Nicholls territory late in the half, but Arroyo missed a 45-yard field goal off the right upright with 36 seconds left.
 
Nicholls took the second half kickoff and Guggenheim's 25-yard run to pick up a first down on fourth-and-two, set up the Colonels at the HCU 12. Guggenheim then punched it in from two yards out to extend Nicholls' lead to 13-0 with 8:49 on the clock in the third quarter.
 
HCU finally answered when Fomby found Reynolds for a 40-yard touchdown with just under five minutes to go in the third. Marquese was hit hard by freshman safety Caleb Flagg, forcing a fumble that sophomore safety Isaiah Cash returned 21 yards to the HCU 41-yard line. The Huskies were stopped, but the Colonels fumbled on their first play from scrimmage, with sophomore safety Xavier Toliver recovering at the Nicholls 27. Fomby then threw a five-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Deon Cormier as HCU took its first lead of the game, 14-13, with five seconds left in the third.
 
Nicholls drove into HCU territory, but the Huskies came up with a sack back to the 35 on third and long. Lasseigne then drilled a 52-yard field goal as the Colonels went back on top, 16-14.
 
HCU came right back with Fomby hitting sophomore wide receiver Desmond Young for a 35-yard gain to the Nicholls 27, but a personal foul on the Huskies stalled the drive and the Colonels took back over at their own 25 with 7:19 to go. Kylan Dupre's 56-yard punt pinned HCU at its on 1-yard line with 3:54 left.
 
Senior wide receiver Vernon Harrell made two key receptions for first downs and sophomore running back RJ Smith's 11-yard reception move the ball to the Nicholls 31 with 1:09 on the clock. Arroyo's 42-yard field goal found its mark as the Huskies went up, 17-16, with 43 second left.
 
Nicholls benefitted from roughing the passer and pass interference penalties to move the ball to the HCU 26 and set up Lasseigne's 43-yard game-winner.
 
The Huskies remain at home to take on Northwestern State Saturday, Oct. 15, at Husky Stadium for Homecoming and Family Weekend.