Wildcats set to host #11 Nicholls for Homecoming

GAME 7
#11 / #11 NICHOLLS (4-2, 3-1 Southland) at ABILENE CHRISTIAN (2-4, 1-3 Southland
Saturday, Oct. 13 • 2:35 p.m. • Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium • Abilene, Texas

MEDIA INFORMATION
Streaming: ESPN3
TV Talent: Ted Emrich (play-by-play), Shea Walker (analyst)
Radio: KTLT 98.1 FM The Ticket (98theticket.com)
Radio Talent: Grant Boone (play-by-play), Jim Reese (analyst), Seth Wilson (sideline)
Twitter: @ACUSports
Game Notes: Nicholls I ACU
 
MATCHUP
ABILENE CHRISTIAN
2-4, 1-3 Southland
Ranking: NR - STATS, NR - Coaches
Head Coach: Adam Dorrel (NW Missouri St., '98)
Career Record: 80-21 (8th season)
ACU Record: 4-13 (2nd season)
vs. Nicholls: 0-1

McNEESE
4-2, 3-1 Southland
Ranking: #11 – STATS / #11 FCS Coaches
Head Coach: Tim Rebowe (LSU, 1987)
Career Record: 20-20 (4th season)
Nicholls Record: 20-20 (4^th season)
vs. ACU: 1-0

OPENING KICKOFF
• The ACU Wildcats welcome No. 11 Nicholls to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium for the annual Homecoming contest. ACU is 53-35-1 all-time on Homecoming, and this year's game will be the 90th Homecoming contest in program history.
 
• The Wildcats are 3-2 on Homecoming since re-joining the Southland Conference in 2013.
 
• Saturday's game features two teams that each feature offenses and defenses that each rank in the top four in the Southland Conference in both total offense and total defense.

• Individually, ACU quarterback Luke Anthony ranks second in the Southland in passing yards per game (298.3  ypg), and his 13 TD passes are tied for the league lead. he leads the league in completions (191), attempts (290) and touchdown passes and is third in completion percentage (65.9). Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade – a preseason first team all-conference selection – is seventh in the league in both passing yards per game (208.7) and total offense per game (254.4 ypg).
 
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
• The game features two teams that each feature offenses and defenses that each rank in the top four in the Southland Conference in both total offense and total defense. ACU is second in the league in total offense (465.8 yards per game) with Nicholls third (430.2 ypg). And Nicholls is ranked second in the league in total defense (333.8 ypg) with ACU ranking fourth (385.5) after giving up just 292 yards to the Cowboys last week. ACU and Nicholls are the only two teams in the 11-team league to feature units ranked in the top four in both total offense and total defense.
     
• Individually, ACU quarterback Luke Anthony ranks second in the Southland in passing yards per game (298.3  ypg), and his 13 TD passes are tied for the league lead.  He leads the Southland in completions (191), attempts (290) and touchdown passes and is third in completion percentage (65.9). Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade – a preseason first team all-conference selection – is seventh in the league in both passing yards per game (208.7) and total offense per game (254.4 ypg).
     
• Anthony's top target is junior WR Josh Fink, who leds the league in catches per game (6.7) and is fifth in the league in yards per game (80.0).

SCOUTING THE COLONELS
• Nicholls has allowed zero points in the second half in two of its last three games. For the season, the Colonels have surrendered five touchdowns after the intermission, and three were results of turnovers deep in their own territory. The three scoring drives were 10, 18, and 22 yards.
 
• Nicholls is ranked 9th in the FCS in two different categories - 4th down defense and team sacks. The Colonels have surrendered just one fourth down try on five attempts, and their 21 sacks for the year ranks in the top 10 of the nation.
 
• The Colonel defense has recorded 21 sacks through six games, ranking ninth in the FCS with 3.5 per game. Evan Veron ranks ninth in the nation with 6.0, and is followed behind by Sully Laiche (4.5) and Kenny Dotson (4.0). Nicholls had 6.0 sacks in the win at Kansas, which were the most for the program in a single game since the 2009 season (9 vs. Duquesne).
 
• Wide receiver Damion Jeanpiere, Jr. has already put his name in the record books as the fourth all-time leading receiver, but he added another milestone by recording the 100th reception for his career with his two grabs at Northwestern State. A consistent deep threat, he also has the third best yards per catch of anyone on the top 10 career receiving list (18.1).
 
• The Colonels racked up an impressive 613 yards of total offense in their win against Lamar. While the Colonels have reached 500 yards several times over the last few years, it was the highest output since the school record was set with 751 yards against NAIA Evangel in 2012. The 613 yards was also the most against a Division I opponent since a 579-yard effort at Portland State in 2003.
 
• The Nicholls State University football team embarks on its longest bus trip of the season as the Colonels head to west Texas for its first road matchup against Abilene Christian. The Oct. 13 contest was selected as the Southland Conference Game of the Week and will stream nationally on ESPN3 at 2:30 p.m. The radio broadcasts include ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM and KBZE 105.9 FM.
 
• Nicholls won its third consecutive game of the season with a 28-10 victory at Northwestern State last weekend, keeping the N-S-U Trophy in Thibodaux for at least another year. After allowing an early touchdown, the defense surrendered just three points the rest of the way and pitched a shutout in the second half. Nicholls relied on its running game, churning out 299 yards on the ground en route to the 18-point win. Five Colonels had at least 10 carries, headlined by Dontrell Taylor with 103 yards and a 9.4 yards per carry average.
 
UP NEXT
• The Wildcats will be back on the road next Saturday night as they take on Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. from Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, La.