Third-quarter surge lifts Nicholls to 42-35 win at Prairie View A&M

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Trailing 21-6 at the half, the No. 11/12 Nicholls State University football team scored 29 unanswered points in the third quarter and went on to hang on for its first win of the year, taking down Prairie View A&M, 42-35, Saturday night at PVAMU Football Stadium.

Nicholls (1-1) scored touchdowns in all four of its drives in the third, with Chase Fourcade playing a hand in all four. The senior quarterback had two rushing touchdowns and hit Dai’Jean Dixon for a pair of TD catches. The big quarter was fueled by three Prairie View A&M (1-2) turnovers.

The Panthers scored early in the fourth on quarterback Jalen Morton’s second rushing touchdown of the night, but Nicholls answered again on a Julien Gums 2-yard rush for a 42-28 advantage. PVAMU brought it back to a one-possession game on a 36-yard catch by Tony Mullins and then forced Nicholls to punt with 2:18 remaining. But on 4th-and-5 for their own 41, Morton was sacked by Allen Pittman and the Colonels kneeled twice to run out the clock.

Pittman and Aquindas Steib led the defense with seven tackles each, and Pittman’s game-ender was the Colonels’ first sack of the season. He also recovered a fumble in the third to help spark the comeback. Freshman Jarius Monroe and safety Kevin Moore III shined in the secondary with each recording an interception. Monroe’s came in the first half in the end zone, while Moore ended the Panthers’ second drive in the third with a pick at midfield and returned it inside the 5.

Offensively, Fourcade completed 17 of 22 for 224 yards and added 35 yards on the ground. Dixon was his primary target, registering a career-high 126 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions – good for his fourth career 100-yard game. Kendall Bussey totaled 86 yards on the ground on 18 carries, and Gums finished with 74 yards on 21.

Things looked promising for the Colonels as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead after their first possession of the game. Dion Ray scored on a 15-yard end-around to cap the drive, but not much else went right for the Colonels before the break.

Prairie View took the lead in the second on a 23-yard scamper by Morton, then after Gavin Lasseigne missed a 29-yard field goal for the Red and Gray, the Panthers extended their lead on a Morton-to-Mullins connection. PVAMU added one more score before the half on a 39-yard strike to Kalen Riles.

Nicholls came out of the locker room a different team and scored on an 11-play, 93-yard drive. Fourcade kept the ball and rushed from five yards out to trim the deficit to 21-13.

The first PVAMU turnover in the third was courtesy of a Moore forced fumble, which gave Nicholls possession at midfield. Six players later, Fourcade tossed a 14-yard TD pass to Dixon. Bussey then ran up the middle for a two-point conversion try to even the score at 21.

Moore’s interception put Nicholls at the 3 and Fourcade scored on third down for a 28-21 advantage. On PVAMU’s next possession, Morton fumbled the snap and Pittman was there for the recovery. Fourcade and Dixon wasted no time as the Colonels doubled their lead on a 36-yard pass down the sideline for a touchdown.

Nicholls’ fourth-quarter scoring drive chewed up 6:29 off the clock. The Colonels had the ball for nearly 40 minutes, rushing 57 times for 241 yards.

Morton paced the home squad with 327 yards passing, 80 yards rushing and five total touchdowns, but also had the two picks and a lost fumble. Mullins finished with 90 yards on five receptions.

UP NEXT
Nicholls will head back to Texas to begin its Southland Conference title defense with a matchup at Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.

SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for Nicholls football are available by visiting geauxcolonels.com or calling the Nicholls Ticket Office at 985-448-4790. The home opener is scheduled for Oct. 5 against Central Arkansas.