The 2019 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Tim Rebowe, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 9–5 with a mark of 7–2 in conference play, sharing the Southland title with Central Arkansas. Nicholls State received the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship, beating North Dakota in the first round before losing to the eventual national champion, North Dakota State, in the second round. The team played home games at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Preseason
Preseason poll The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 18, 2019. The Colonels were picked to finish in first place.
Preseason All–Southland Teams The Colonels placed eleven players on the preseason all–Southland teams.
Offense
1st team
Chase Fourcade – QB
Dai'Jean Dixon – WR
P.J. Burkhalter – OL
Winston Jones – P
2nd team
Dontrell Taylor – RB
Jair Joseph – OL
Defense
1st team
Sully Laiche – DL
Evan Veron – LB
Allen Pittman – LB
Darren Evans – DB
2nd team
Khristian Mims – DB
Roster
Schedule
Game summaries
At Kansas State
Statistics NichollsKansas State First downs 11 33 Total yards 276 575 Rushing yards 150 361 Passing yards 126 212 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 18:51 41:09 Kansas State scored touchdowns on their first four possessions and were successful 10 of 12 attempts on third down in 80 offensive plays. Kansas State also managed the clock, being on offense for more than 41 minutes. For Nicholls, this was largely different compared to last year's opener when they defeated the Kansas Jayhawks. The Colonel's Kendall Bussey and Julien Gums both produced second-half touchdown runs to put their team on the board, but it wasn't nearly enough. Despite the loss, Nicholls managed to move up in the FCS coaches poll, going from #11 to #10. They also jumped two spots to #10 in the FCS STATS Poll.
At Prairie View A&M
Statistics NichollsPrairie View A&M First downs 30 28 Total yards 463 463 Rushing yards 239 136 Passing yards 224 327 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 39:14 20:46
At Stephen F. Austin
Statistics NichollsStephen F. Austin First downs 31 17 Total yards 436 414 Rushing yards 291 58 Passing yards 145 356 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:31 24:29
At Texas State
Statistics NichollsTexas State First downs 12 16 Total yards 220 362 Rushing yards 75 109 Passing yards 145 253 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 27:17 32:43
Central Arkansas
Statistics Central ArkansasNicholls First downs 18 23 Total yards 320 477 Rushing yards 138 150 Passing yards 182 327 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 26:18 33:42
Northwestern State
Statistics Northwestern StateNicholls First downs 21 30 Total yards 428 537 Rushing yards 41 349 Passing yards 387 188 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 22:32 37:28
At Sam Houston State
Statistics NichollsSam Houston State First downs 14 13 Total yards 271 295 Rushing yards 55 104 Passing yards 216 191 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 29:26 30:34
Abilene Christian
Statistics Abilene ChristianNicholls First downs 33 19 Total yards 472 369 Rushing yards 282 153 Passing yards 190 216 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 36:47 23:13
At Incarnate Word
Statistics NichollsIncarnate Word First downs 17 27 Total yards 424 483 Rushing yards 274 102 Passing yards 150 381 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 28:51 31:09
Houston Baptist
Statistics Houston BaptistNicholls First downs 21 26 Total yards 428 515 Rushing yards 182 207 Passing yards 246 308 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 23:02 36:58
McNeese State
Statistics McNeese StateNicholls First downs 14 24 Total yards 236 519 Rushing yards 52 145 Passing yards 184 374 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:12 32:48
At Southeastern Louisiana
Statistics NichollsSoutheastern Louisiana First downs 17 26 Total yards 468 460 Rushing yards 180 113 Passing yards 228 347 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 31:15 28:45
North Dakota—NCAA Division I First Round The Colonels received an automatic bid (due to winning their conference) for the postseason tournament, with a first-round pairing against North Dakota.
Statistics North DakotaNicholls First downs 21 23 Total yards 316 481 Rushing yards 44 316 Passing yards 272 165 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 25:02 34:58
At North Dakota State—NCAA Division I Second Round
Statistics NichollsNorth Dakota State First downs 18 21 Total yards 265 434 Rushing yards 171 265 Passing yards 94 169 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 26:31 33:29
Ranking movements
References