# 2021 Nicholls Colonels football team

The 2021 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Tim Rebowe, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing third in the Southland. Nicholls State played home games at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

## Preseason
### Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their preseason poll in July 2021. The Colonels were picked to finish second in the conference. In addition, eleven Colonels were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 48 (8) |
| 2 | Nicholls | 43 (4) |
| 3 | Incarnate Word | 32 |
| 4 | McNeese State | 26 |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 21 |
| 6 | Houston Baptist | 10 |

### Preseason All–Southland Teams
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 6:00 p.m. | at Memphis* | No. 22 | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN | ESPN+ | L 17–42 | 30,263 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | at Louisiana* | | Cajun FieldLafayette, LA | ESPN3 | L 24–27 | 25,417 |
| September 25 | 3:00 p.m. | North Alabama* | | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA | ESPN+ | W 31–17 | 7,314 |
| October 2 | 3:00 p.m. | Houston Baptist | | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA | ESPN3 | W 48–17 | 5,840 |
| October 9 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana | No. 25 | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA (River Bell Classic) | ESPN+ | L 48–58 | 7,402 |
| October 16 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 18 Incarnate Word | | Gayle and Tom Benson StadiumSan Antonio, TX | ESPN3 | L 21–38 | 1,369 |
| October 23 | 6:00 p.m. | at Houston Baptist | | Husky StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | W 44–14 | 2,362 |
| October 30 | 12:00 p.m. | Northwestern State | | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA (NSU Challenge) | ESPN+ | W 42–21 | 7,328 |
| November 6 | 12:00 p.m. | at McNeese State | | Cowboy StadiumLake Charles, LA | ESPN+ | W 24–14 | 8,898 |
| November 13 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 17 Incarnate Word | | Manning Field at John L. Guidry StadiumThibodaux, LA | ESPN3 | L 23–27 | 6,392 |
| November 18 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana | | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA (River Bell Classic) | ESPN+ | W 45–42 | 6,057 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### At Memphis

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 (FCS) Colonels | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| • Tigers | 10 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 42 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| MEM-22.5 | 59 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Memphis |
| First downs | 17 | 32 |
| Total yards | 299 | 587 |
| Rushing yards | 100 | 322 |
| Passing yards | 199 | 265 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 28:45 | 31:15 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Nicholls | Passing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 17/30, 194 yards, 1 TD |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Julien Gums | 13 carries, 48 yards |
| Nicholls | Receiving | Dai'Jean Dixon | 7 receptions, 107 yards |
| Memphis | Passing | Seth Henigan | 19/32, 265 yards, 1 TD |
| Memphis | Rushing | Brandon Thomas | 16 carries, 147 yards, 1 TD |
| Memphis | Receiving | Javon Ivory | 5 receptions, 106 yards |

### At Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colonels | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| • Ragin' Cajuns | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| LA –26.0 | 65 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Louisiana |
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Total yards | 511 | 417 |
| Rushing yards | 152 | 113 |
| Passing yards | 359 | 304 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:12 | 26:48 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Nicholls | Passing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 26/37, 359 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 18 carries, 121 yards |
| Nicholls | Receiving | Dai'Jean Dixon | 14 receptions, 198 yards, 2 TDs |
| Louisiana | Passing | Levi Lewis | 19/33, 304 yards, 2 TDs |
| Louisiana | Rushing | Chris Smith | 11 carries, 46 yards |
| Louisiana | Receiving | Michael Jefferson | 3 receptions, 84 yards, 1 TD |

### North Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| • Colonels | 0 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 31 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-17 | 58.5 |
| Statistics | North Alabama | Nicholls |
| First downs | 21 | 28 |
| Total yards | 314 | 463 |
| Rushing yards | 130 | 291 |
| Passing yards | 184 | 172 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:42 | 29:18 |
| Team | Category |
| North Alabama | Passing |
| North Alabama | Rushing |
| North Alabama | Receiving |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |

### Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Huskies | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| • Colonels | 21 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 48 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-26 | 62.5 |
| Statistics | Houston Baptist | Nicholls |
| First downs | 10 | 33 |
| Total yards | 182 | 650 |
| Rushing yards | 35 | 421 |
| Passing yards | 147 | 229 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 22:45 | 37:15 |
| Team | Category |
| Houston Baptist | Passing |
| Houston Baptist | Rushing |
| Houston Baptist | Receiving |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |

### No. 14 Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 14 Lions | 7 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 58 |
| No. 25 Colonels | 7 | 7 | 21 | 13 | 48 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-1 | 72.5 |
| Statistics | Southeastern Louisiana | Nicholls |
| First downs | 32 | 26 |
| Total yards | 573 | 507 |
| Rushing yards | 167 | 209 |
| Passing yards | 406 | 298 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 37:51 | 22:09 |
| Team | Category |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |

### At No. 18 Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colonels | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| • No. 18 Cardinals | 0 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 38 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| IW-2 | 76.5 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Incarnate Word |
| First downs | 28 | 19 |
| Total yards | 445 | 469 |
| Rushing yards | 202 | 81 |
| Passing yards | 243 | 388 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 35:25 | 24:35 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Nicholls | Passing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 19/29, 214 yards, TD, INT |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Lindsey Scott Jr. | 20 carries, 90 yards, TD |
| Nicholls | Receiving | Dai'Jean Dixon | 9 receptions, 120 yards, TD |
| Incarnate Word | Passing | Cam Ward | 25/36, 388 yards, 4 TD |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing | Kevin Brown | 14 carries, 80 yards, TD |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving | Taylor Grimes | 9 receptions, 182 yards, 4 TD |

### At Houston Baptist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colonels | 27 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 44 |
| Huskies | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-21 | 65.5 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Houston Baptist |
| First downs | 30 | 15 |
| Total yards | 572 | 157 |
| Rushing yards | 347 | 8 |
| Passing yards | 225 | 149 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 36:52 | 23:04 |
| Team | Category |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |
| Houston Baptist | Passing |
| Houston Baptist | Rushing |
| Houston Baptist | Receiving |

### Northwestern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Demons | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| • Colonels | 7 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-23.5 | 55.5 |
| Statistics | Northwestern State | Nicholls |
| First downs | 17 | 34 |
| Total yards | 345 | 564 |
| Rushing yards | 135 | 300 |
| Passing yards | 210 | 264 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 25:54 | 34:06 |
| Team | Category |
| Northwestern State | Passing |
| Northwestern State | Rushing |
| Northwestern State | Receiving |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |

### At McNeese State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colonels | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-5.5 | 55 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | McNeese State |
| First downs | 22 | 22 |
| Total yards | 367 | 352 |
| Rushing yards | 180 | 188 |
| Passing yards | 187 | 164 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 30:25 | 29:35 |
| Team | Category |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |
| McNeese State | Passing |
| McNeese State | Rushing |
| McNeese State | Receiving |

### No. 17 Incarnate Word

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 17 Cardinals | 0 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
| Colonels | 10 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| NSU-1.5 | 70.5 |
| Statistics | Incarnate Word | Nicholls |
| First downs | 13 | 31 |
| Total yards | 376 | 491 |
| Rushing yards | 268 | 220 |
| Passing yards | 108 | 271 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 17:52; | 42:08 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Incarnate Word | Passing | Cameron Ward | 13/30, 108 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Incarnate Word | Rushing | Kevin Brown | 11 carries, 185 yards, 2 TD |
| Incarnate Word | Receiving | Robert Ferrel | 4 receptions, 47 yards |
| Nicholls | Passing | Kohen Granier | 18/27, 191 yards, TD |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Collin Guggenheim | 32 carries, 141 yards, TD |
| Nicholls | Receiving | Dai'Jean Dixon | 8 receptions, 90 yards |

### At No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colonels | 21 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 45 |
| No. 15 Lions | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 42 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| SEL-7.5 | 78 |
| Statistics | Nicholls | Southeastern Louisiana |
| First downs | 28 | 26 |
| Total yards | 556 | 496 |
| Rushing yards | 292 | 111 |
| Passing yards | 264 | 385 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:29 | 26:31 |
| Team | Category |
| Nicholls | Passing |
| Nicholls | Rushing |
| Nicholls | Receiving |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving |