(RV) STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE (4-2; 2-0) VS. NICHOLLS (1-5; 1-1)

WHEN: OCT. 18 (SAT.) 6:00 P.M.
WHERE: NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS (HOMER BRYCE STADIUM)
MEDIA: ESPN+/JACKS RADIO NETWORK
HOMECOMING

SERIES:

NICHOLLS

FOOTBALL HISTORY VS NICHOLLS FROM OCTOBER 20, 1984 - NOVEMBER 2, 2024

SFA leads the overall series 20-11, but have only won 1 of the last 5 meetings.

The Tommy Rybacki era got off to a smashing success, when the Colonels upset the #4 UIW Cardinals 20-6 on national TV to open the 2025 season. But since that historic win, Nicholls has been on a 5-game skid, 6-games into arguably the most difficult schedule in the SLC, having played two FBS programs and three ranked opponents.

Nacogdoches will make it 4 straight road games for the Colonels and 5 of the last six away from Thibodaux.

However, with the 5 straight losses, Nicholls came very close to going 2-0 in conference play, against #24 Lamar in Beaumont with the game tied up at 17 with 3:36 left to play in the game, before Lamar secured the win with an 88-year punt return for a TD.

The offense is lead by New Mexico State transfer QB Deuce Hogan, the 6-4; 215 graduate senior out of Grapevine, Texas. The former 3-star recruit was rated the #15 PRO style QB in the 2020 recruiting class playing also playing at Iowa and Kentucky.

Against Lamar Hogan completed 21 passes for 166 yards while rushing for 9 more and a TD, giving up no turnovers.

On the ground the Colonels' are lead by two young RB's in redshirt freshman #24 Shane Lee 5-9; 225 and double threat sophomore RB #22 Brock Miequle Jr. 5-9; 200 the two have combined for 500 yards rushing and 2 TD's, while averaging 6 yards a carry. Miequle as leads the team in receiving yards with 23 catches for 249 yards and 2 more scores.

On the defensive side of the ball, look for impact player junior LB #7 Jake Dalmado 6-0; 215 is second on the team with 49 tackles, first in TFL 4.5; and sacks with 2.5.

Nicholls averages 13 points a game, rushing for 103 yards and passing for 167 yards.

While the defense gives up 27 points a game, 197 yards on the ground and 150 through the air (#1 in the SLC) with 6 INT's (#2 in the SLC)

The Lumberjack offense seems to be a humming, while the defense is a swarming, as SFA looks to keep things going this homecoming weekend in front of a massive crowd, gunning for their 5th straight win, something that has not happened since 2021, the last time the Jacks made the playoffs.

Axe'Em

SFA DEFENSE (FCS rankings)

#2 in TFL's (8.8 per game)
#2 in defensive TD's (3)
#3 in fumble recoveries (7) / #1 in the SLC
#4 rushing defense (81.2) / #1 in the SLC
#4 in sacks per game (3) / #1 in the SLC
#4 in turnovers gained (13)
#5 in total sacks (18)
#6 in INT's (6)
#6 in turnover margin (6)
#7 in total defense (280.5) / #2 in the SLC
#9 in scoring defense (17.67) / #2 in the SLC
#11 in red-zone defense (.706)
#16 in 1st down defense

#1 in forced fumbles (11) SLC

Need to work on
#1 in the SLC in penalties (75 yards a game)

LB Jaydon Southard

#4 in the nation in tackles per game (13 per game)

Good points SawmillGuy. After a strong road win and what should be a big confidence boost, can the Jacks play equally as strong coming off the bye week and show themselves to be in the driver's seat for a conference title?

Rankings don't concern me, results do. That said I imagine most players would get even more wound up with being ranked. Get out there and take care of business.

Coach Carthel after the bye-week

2024: SFA:59; Northwestern State:17
2023: Tarleton State:59; SFA:17
2022: SFA:98; Warner (Fla.):0
2021: SFA:37; Utah Tech:20
2019: ACU:31; SFA:24 (2OT)

Ljacks&Longnecks said:

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Good points SawmillGuy. After a strong road win and what should be a big confidence boost, can the Jacks play equally as strong coming off the bye week and show themselves to be in the driver's seat for a conference title?

Rankings don't concern me, results do. That said I imagine most players would get even more wound up with being ranked. Get out there and take care of business.

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Rankings only concern me when it comes to the auto bid. I was wrong that SFA controls the tiebreaker via having a longer playoff drought than SLU, that was the old tiebreaker rule the SLC had.

Now it will go by common opponents, which would still result in a tie if we both go undefeated, then it will go to rankings.

Currently SFA slightly edges SLU in the rankings outside of the top 25, but from here on out style points will matter as much as wins.

Of course if both SFA and SLU go undefeated, we will certainly both make the playoffs at 10-2 regardless, but I feel more comfortable with the autobid than leaving it to the committee.