TDs by James and dual-threat Davis seal OT upset of Nicholls, 37-31

THIBODAUX, LOUISIANA – Tracy James and Sema'J Davis ran for two touchdowns each and Abilene Christian University upset No. 15 Nicholls 37-31 in overtime to spoil the Colonels' Homecoming in a Southland Conference battle of dual-threat quarterbacks on Saturday afternoon in John L. Guidry Stadium. 
 
The Wildcats (5-4, 4-3) won their third straight game and first on the road this season, knocking off the defending league champs and preserving its own playoff hopes. James ran for a TD on the final play of the first half and the game. Abilene Christian handed Nicholls one of its only two league losses in 2018, and repeated its mastery in 2019.

"I told my guys after the game how much I love them, and how proud I am of their effort," said head coach Adam Dorrel. "We were very resilient, and this is a huge win for our program. That's a good football team, which had won its last eight home games. 
 
"The thing, though, I have to figure out as a head coach is what's going on in the fourth quarter. It's been at times a mental block for us so we'll focus on that during the bye week ... We also have to look at the penalties (9-99). I'm very disappointed in that because as a coaching staff we pride ourselves on discipline, but our guys didn't get caught up in all that. They kept their focus."  
 
James – a senior running back who entered the game ranked second in the nation (FCS) in scoring – ran 5 yards for the deciding score after Nicholls had rallied from a pair of 10-point second-half deficits to tie the score at 31 with 19 seconds left.
 
He was not his team's leading rusher, however.
 
That honor went to Davis, the dynamic sophomore Wildcat signal-caller who ran 19 times for 146 yards and two scores while sharing time at quarterback Saturday afternoon with junior Luke Anthony. Davis eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time this season in pacing a Wildcat rushing attack that rolled up 282 yards on the ground and 472 overall.
 
The win was the Wildcats' second straight in overtime, albeit a back-and-forth affair after another slow start for head coach Adam Dorrel's team. Abilene Christian endured a scoreless first quarter for the fourth time in five weeks and fifth time this season, yet stayed within sight of the Southland powerhouse.
 
Nicholls forged a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a 2-yard TD run by Julien Gums with 5:57 left. ACU's Blair Zepeda cut the lead to 7-3 with a 22-yard field goal, and Gums found the end zone again on a 22-yard run to give the home team's Homecoming crowd a 14-3 lead and apparent head of steam on what looked like it might be a long afternoon for the Wildcats.
 
ACU proved resilient, however, scoring 21 unanswered points to take leads of 24-14 and 31-21 in an impressive third quarter. Along the way, ACU's dual-threat Davis overmatched the vaunted Colonel defense, which entered the game allowing just 85 yards on the ground to opponents.
 
Davis ran 13 yards for one TD and James ran 1 yard for another in his team's 21-0 run, which included an 11-yard scoring pass from Anthony to Josh Fink.
 
With ACU looking like it would extend its lead to three scores on its second drive of the third quarter, a 79-yard interception return by Kristian Mims of an Anthony pass flipped the field for the Colonels. On 4^th-and-goal, game-changing quarterback Chase Fourcade tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Bry'Kie Mouton to pull Nicholls closer, 24-21, with 4:24 left.
 
ACU answered immediately with a blur of a drive that jolted the momentum needle away from Nicholls. Freshman Ryan Stapp returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards and James ran 21 yards before Davis sprinted 19 more and then capped the 44-yard march when he sprinted 4 yards untouched around left end for a TD. Zepeda's kick restored the 10-point lead at 31-21 with just 1:01 of elapsed time.
 
After forcing a Nicholls punt, Anthony was intercepted for the second time when Chase Brown stepped in front of a pass intended for Davis and returned it 18 yards to the ACU 39-yard line. Five plays later, Fourcade converted the turnover into points when he ran 1 yard for a TD with 12:09 left in the game, drawing the Colonels closer at 31-28.
 
ACU's season-long propensity for forcing turnovers – Brandon Richmond's tackle of Julien Gums did the deed on the ensuing drive – resurfaced for the second time in the game, with Cole Burgess recovering to give ACU the ball on the Wildcat 40-yard line with 9:35 left.
 
The Wildcats could not convert on the turnover, however, and punted back to the Colonels with 5:30 remaining. A sack of Fourcade by ACU defensive tackle Temisan Kuyatsemi did not deter the Southland's reigning Player of the Year. Fourcade bounced back with a clutch 36-yard pass to Dion Ray that gave Nicholls the ball at the ACU 15-yard line.
 
Four plays later, Wildcat safety Bolu Onifade stopped a Foucade run on 3^rd-and-2, forcing Jones to kick his 19-yard game-tying field goal.
 
With the score 31-31 and 1:53 left, ACU began its last drive of regulation time. The Wildcats couldn't advance past their 34-yard line and punted back to Nicholls with 21 seconds left.
 
Fourcade advanced his team to the Wildcat 38-yard line with 2 seconds left, but his Hail Mary pass was intercepted by Richmond in the end zone to force overtime.
 
On the second play of Nicholls' first OT possession, ACU's Richmond recovered a fumble to put the Wildcats on offense and another late victory in sight.
 
ACU won the game on its first possession when James ran for the deciding TD on the Wildcats' fifth play.
 
Anthony completed 25 of 37 passes for 181 yards and one score, and was picked twice. James ran 16 times for 79 yards, while Tyrese White added 32 and Anthony ran for 21. Kobe Clark led the Wildcats in receiving with 11 catches for 72 yards. Fink added five for 47 and a score.
 
Fourcade completed 17 od 22 passes for 216 yards and one TD, and ran 15 times for 79 yards and another score. Gums led the Colonels on the ground with 79 yards and two TDs, but also lost two fumbles. Ray caught six passes for 128 yards.
 
ACU is open next week before hosting Sam Houston State on Nov. 9 at Wildcat Stadium, with kickoff at 3 p.m. Two of the Wildcats' next three games are at home on Anthony Field before finishing their regular season with a non-conference road game at Mississppi State.
 
PLAYS THAT MATTERED

• 1Q – Julien Gums ran 2 yards for a touchdown with 5:57 left. Gunar Jones' kick attempt was good and Nicholls takes the early lead 7-0.
• 2Q – Blair Zepeda kicked a 22-yard field goal at the 14:09 mark of the quarter to tighten the Colonels' lead to 7-3.
• 1Q – Gums ran 21 yards for a TD with 11:25 left. Jones' kick was good and Nicholls extended its lead to 14-3.
• 2Q – Sema'J Davis ran 13 yards for a touchdown with 7:35 left in the half, and Blair's kick was good, pulling ACU closer, 14-10.
• 2Q – Tracy James ran 1 yard up the middle for a TD and Zepeda's kick put ACU on top, 17-14 on the last play of the half.
• 3Q – Josh Fink caught an 11-yard TD pass  from Luke Anthony with 10:22 left. Zepeda's kick extended the ACU lead to 24-14.
• 3Q – Bry'Kie caught a 1-yard TD pass from Fourcade and Jones' kick pulled Nicholls tightened the score to 24-21 with 3:14 left.
• 3Q – Davis ran 4 yards for a TD with 3:14 on the clock. Zepeda's kick restored the 10-point lead to 31-21.
• 4Q – Fourcade ran 1 yard for a TD and Jones' kick made the new score 31-28 with 12:09 on the game clock.
• 4Q – Jones tied the game at 31 with a 19-yard field goal with 1:53 seconds left.
• Overtime – James ran 5 yards for a TD to win the game for ACU.

 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• ACU won in overtime for the second straight week. The Wildcats topped Stephen F. Austin 31-24 last Saturday night in Abilene.
• The Wildcats owe their win to building huge advantages in time of possession (36:47 to 23:13) and plays (91 to 57), keeping Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade and his offense off the field and limiting their effectiveness.
• Brandon Richmond was the Wildcat's defensive star with six tackles, an interception, fumble recovery and forced fumble.

 
STAT CORNER

• The Wildcats were a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth-down plays.
• James scored his 17^th and 18^th TDs of season. He entered the game ranked No. 2 in the nation in that category.
• At the half, ACU led in first downs (17-8), total yards (226-182), rushing yards (145-76) and time of possession (19:16 to 10:44). Nicholls had the advantage in passing yards (106-81). Sema'J led all rushers with 77 yards. Fifty-two of Chase Fourcade's 106 passing yards came on one play (to Dion Ray).

NOTABLE

• This was only the third game between Nicholls and ACU; the teams split the first two with the Colonels winning 29-20 in 2017 in Thibodaux and ACU prevailing 28-12 last year in Abilene.
• Nicholls has fielded a collegiate football team since 1972, when it began competition in the Gulf South Conference. It joined the Southland Conference in 1991. The university is constructing a 20,000-square-foot football operations center and expanding/renovating the nearby Frank L. Barker Athletic Building, with both expected to be ready in 2020.
• Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium is the site of the annual Manning Passing Academy for top high school quarterbacks in the nation. The playing surface honors the football-playing Manning family – Peyton, Eli, Cooper and Archie – three of whom have starred in the NFL. ACU quarterback Luke Anthony has served on the academy's staff of current NCAA student-athletes.