Nicholls returns to Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium on Saturday afternoon for one of its biggest early-season Southland Conference matchups, hosting No. 15 Lamar.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, with the game airing on ESPN+. Nicholls enters at 2-2 overall and 1-0 in Southland play, while Lamar comes to Thibodaux at 2-1 and will be playing its conference opener.

The matchup also gives Nicholls an immediate opportunity to respond after a difficult 59-0 road loss against FBS Sam Houston. Before that loss, the Colonels had opened the season with wins over Mississippi Valley State and UTRGV, along with a loss at Kansas State.

Lamar enters rested and battle-tested

Lamar had an open week before making the trip to Thibodaux. The Cardinals opened the season with a 21-14 win over then-No. 15 Abilene Christian, lost 38-7 at Louisiana, then traveled across the country and earned an impressive 23-17 road victory at Idaho.

That Idaho victory is especially notable considering the difficulty of winning in Moscow and gives Lamar a quality FCS road win before beginning Southland play.

The Cardinals have relied on quarterback Aiden McCown, who has completed 45 of 80 passes for 468 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions. Lamar has 491 total passing yards through its first three games.

On the ground, Jojo Uga has been the most productive Cardinal, rushing 26 times for 141 yards and averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Parker Jenkins has added 86 yards on 30 attempts.

Lamar's offense has struggled to consistently finish drives, however. The Cardinals have only one rushing touchdown this season.

Nicholls needs its offense to rebound

Nicholls quarterback Ean Rodrigue has completed 51 of 101 passes for 569 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

The passing game showed what it is capable of against UTRGV. Rodrigue threw four touchdown passes in the 31-28 victory, including three to Jackson Dufrene. Dufrene finished that game with 100 yards receiving and tied the program record with three touchdown receptions.

Through four games, Nicholls has totaled 652 passing yards with seven touchdowns.

Jordan Smith leads the Colonels with 13 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Greg Donaldson has 115 yards on four catches, while Dufrene has six receptions for 106 yards and three touchdowns.

The Colonels have also shown some explosiveness. Donaldson has a 74-yard reception, while Dufrene has a long of 53 yards.

But consistency will be critical Saturday. Nicholls followed its 31-point performance against UTRGV with a shutout loss at Sam Houston. Lamar's defense presents another difficult challenge, so avoiding long stretches of stalled possessions will be important.

Can Nicholls establish the run?

This could be one of the biggest areas to watch.

Nicholls has rushed 156 times for 471 yards, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. Tamaj Hoffman leads the team with 172 yards and two touchdowns on 34 attempts.

Rodrigue is second with 81 yards on 32 carries, while Damondrick Blackburn has 30 yards and a touchdown.

Lamar's rushing attack has not been dominant either, producing 295 yards on 95 carries for 3.1 yards per attempt.

Neither team has consistently controlled games on the ground, which could make whichever offensive line establishes itself Saturday particularly important.

Nicholls defense has created opportunities

One of the Colonels' biggest strengths through the early portion of the season has been forcing turnovers.

Nicholls created 10 takeaways through its first three games, including six against Mississippi Valley State and three against UTRGV. At that point, the Colonels ranked third nationally in the FCS in turnovers gained.

Linebacker Kennon Loftin has emerged as one of the leaders of the defense. He has 28 total tackles and an interception through four games.

Skylar Husband has 24 tackles and an interception, while Zavion Dilworth has 19 tackles and another pick.

Kasai Jones has provided pressure off the edge with two sacks for 26 yards in losses.

The Colonels have five interceptions as a team, and forcing McCown into mistakes could become a major factor Saturday.

Lamar has playmakers on defense

Lamar's defense also has several players capable of changing the game.

Bryce McDonald leads the Cardinals with 17 tackles and an interception. Mar Mar Evans has 16 tackles and four pass breakups, while Mason Wuenschel has 13 tackles, half a sack and an interception.

Lanar Kelley has already returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals have also generated pressure throughout the defensive front. Koda Canady has 1.5 sacks, Alexandre Dedieu has two, and several others have contributed at least half a sack.

Nicholls will need to protect Rodrigue and avoid getting behind the chains.

Special teams could matter again

The most recent meeting between these programs was decided by special teams.

Nicholls and Lamar were tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter last season when Lamar broke an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals a 24-17 victory in Beaumont. Lamar also opened that game with an 85-yard touchdown pass.

Nicholls actually finished with more total offense in that matchup, 348 yards to Lamar's 337, but the two explosive plays proved decisive.

That makes limiting explosive plays in all three phases particularly important this time around.

Players to Watch

For Nicholls, the offense starts with Rodrigue and Hoffman, but the Colonel receiving corps could be the difference. Smith has been the most consistent target, while Dufrene and Donaldson have demonstrated the ability to create explosive plays.

Defensively, Loftin continues to be the player in the middle of everything for Nicholls, while Jones and the defensive front need to generate pressure without allowing McCown opportunities to escape and extend plays.

For Lamar, McCown will command most of the attention offensively, with Uga providing the biggest threat on the ground. Defensively, McDonald, Evans and Kelley headline a secondary that has shown the ability to make plays on the football.

Keys for Nicholls

Nicholls needs to get back to the formula that worked against UTRGV: create turnovers, generate explosive plays in the passing game and give Rodrigue manageable situations.

The Colonels also cannot allow Lamar to win the hidden-yardage battle. Last year's matchup is a reminder that one punt return or one busted coverage can completely change a game.

Perhaps most importantly, Nicholls needs to rediscover some offensive rhythm after being shut out at Sam Houston. Lamar has already proven it can win a close road game, and with the Cardinals coming off an open week, Nicholls should expect a rested and prepared opponent.

Saturday gives the Colonels a chance to move to 2-0 in Southland play while also earning a win over a nationally ranked opponent.



Game Information: No. 15 Lamar at Nicholls, Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux. The game will stream on ESPN+.