THIBODAUX, La. – HCU football fell in Southland Conference play on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 31-7 decision at Guidry Stadium to the Nicholls Colonels.
Both teams went three-and-out on their first possessions of the game with the Huskies (2-7, 1-4 SLC) then making a stop on fourth down to regain possession on downs at their own 33-yard line. The next three possessions for HCU ended in interceptions, however, with the Colonels (3-6, 3-2 SLC) turning those turnovers into 17 points and a three-possession lead with nine minutes to go in the first half.
Late in the first half, HCU moved the ball 39 yards to the Nicholls' 26 but a fourth interception by the Colonels defense ended he drive and sent the Huskies into the locker room trailing 17-0 at the half.
HCU started the second half with the football with
Maddox Kopp finding
Ja'Ryan Wallace on a 44-yard completion down the left side on the first play of the possession. That started a quick seven-play, 72-yard touchdown drive finished on a one-yard scoring run by
Xai'Shaun Edwards to cut the deficit to 10, 17-7.
Nicholls answered, however, on their next drive. The Colonels went 66 yards on 11 plays to again lead by 17 with 5:37 left on the clock in the third quarter.
Wallace finished with a career-high 91 receiving yards on seven receptions while fellow receiver
Keith Wheeler had a pair of catches for 53 yards, also a career-high. Kopp, coming in off the bench, had his best game in an HCU uniform. The senior completed 12-of-15 passes for 170 yards with one interception.
The Huskies' running backs, Edwards and
Darryle Evans, combined for 129 yards on 20 carries. Evans finished with 69 yards on seven rushes while Edwards picked up 60 on 13 runs. Edwards moved up two spots on the HCU all-time rushing yards list, now standing at 875 rushing yards to rank sixth in program history. His rushing touchdown was his 10
th of the season, further extending his own single-season record.
Sean Dubose Jr. led the Huskies with six tackles and forced a fumble while
Rodney Dansby finished the game with five tackles. Dansby sits just one tackle shy of second in program history in career tackles with 414, just behind Brennan Young. Fellow linebacker
Trent Zappe also had five tackles.
The Huskies return home next Saturday, Nov. 8, to host the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at Husky Stadium for a 2:00 p.m. Homecoming kickoff.
