THIBODAUX, La. — For much of Saturday afternoon, it looked like Nicholls was headed toward another disappointing Southland Conference loss. Instead, the Colonels delivered one of their most memorable finishes of the season, overcoming a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat East Texas A&M 32-31 on Homecoming at John L. Guidry Stadium.

Trailing 24-7 at halftime, Nicholls outscored the Lions 25-7 in the second half, including a game-winning two-point conversion with just 47 seconds remaining. The victory improved Nicholls to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in Southland Conference play, while East Texas A&M dropped to 3-7 overall and 3-4 in conference action.

The Colonels entered Saturday looking to rebound from a frustrating 16-3 road loss to McNeese, a game in which Nicholls moved the football on the ground but struggled to finish drives. Against East Texas A&M, those offensive struggles appeared to continue early before a second-half turnaround changed the direction of the game.



A Difficult First Half

East Texas A&M controlled much of the opening half, taking advantage of opportunities and making big plays through the air.

Major McBride opened the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, giving the Lions a 7-0 lead. Nicholls answered early in the second quarter when Patrick Gales scored from 12 yards out to tie the game.

The Lions responded with 17 unanswered points. McBride scored his second rushing touchdown, quarterback Reese Mooney connected with Micah Simpson for a 66-yard touchdown, and Ozlo Rigby added a 36-yard field goal just before halftime.

Nicholls went into the locker room trailing 24-7, needing a significant turnaround on both sides of the football.

Second-Half Turnaround

The momentum began shifting almost immediately after halftime.

Kasai Jones recovered an East Texas A&M fumble and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-14 just over a minute into the third quarter.

Later in the period, quarterback Chase Richardson connected with Greg Donaldson for a 37-yard touchdown pass, bringing Nicholls within three points.

The Colonels continued their comeback into the fourth quarter, putting together a 13-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard field goal from Kingston Phan. With 11:12 remaining, the game was tied at 24.

After falling behind by 17 points, Nicholls had erased the entire deficit.

But East Texas A&M wasn't finished.

The Lions put together a 70-yard scoring drive, capped by a 5-yard touchdown run from EJ Oakmon with 3:36 remaining. The touchdown gave East Texas A&M a 31-24 lead and forced Nicholls to produce one final answer.

One Final Drive

With the game on the line, Richardson and the Nicholls offense responded.

The Colonels marched 65 yards in 10 plays, reaching the end zone on Richardson's 1-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds remaining.

Rather than kicking the extra point to tie the game, Nicholls elected to go for two and the win.

Richardson connected with Chantz Babineaux on the conversion, giving the Colonels their first lead of the afternoon, 32-31.

After trailing for nearly the entire game, Nicholls had completed the comeback in the final minute.

The Colonels held on to secure an important Homecoming victory in front of 8,955 fans.

Richardson and Gales Lead the Offense

Chase Richardson continued to provide a significant portion of the Colonels' offensive production, finishing with 119 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. He also completed 14 of 26 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.

Patrick Gales added 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, giving Nicholls two players with more than 100 rushing yards. Gales has now reached the century mark in consecutive games.

Greg Donaldson led the receivers with five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Nicholls finished with 356 yards of total offense, including 221 rushing yards. The Colonels continued to lean heavily on their rushing attack, but Richardson made enough plays through the air to help deliver the victory.

Defense Makes the Difference

Although East Texas A&M finished with 377 yards of offense, Nicholls limited the Lions to just 25 rushing yards and forced three turnovers.

The defensive touchdown from Kasai Jones proved to be one of the biggest plays of the game, giving Nicholls the momentum it desperately needed coming out of halftime.

Kevin Martin Jr. led the defense with seven tackles, while Lynard Harris and Alex Villavaso added six each.

The defense also delivered the final play that sealed the victory. With East Texas A&M attempting one last drive, Logan Jackson pressured Reese Mooney and hit his throwing arm, sending the football into the air. Martin Jr. intercepted the pass, ending the Lions' comeback hopes.

A Win That Nicholls Needed

The victory doesn't erase the struggles Nicholls has experienced this season, but it does show the fight this team still has.

For a team that has struggled to consistently put together complete games, Saturday was another example of how quickly things can change. Nicholls was outplayed for much of the first half, struggled to slow down the passing attack, and found itself in a difficult position.

But unlike some of its previous losses, the Colonels found a way to respond.

The running game continued to be productive, the defense created opportunities, and Richardson delivered when the game was on the line.

At 4-6 overall, Nicholls still has plenty of work ahead. However, winning a game after trailing by 17 points at halftime gives the Colonels something positive to build on as the season approaches its final stretch.

Nicholls will travel to San Antonio to face UIW on Saturday, November 14, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.