Nicholls State Upsets Incarnate Word, 20–6, in Week 0 Southland Conference Opener

In a low-scoring Southland Conference opener on Saturday, the Nicholls State Colonels ended the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals’ recent dominance. They won 20–6 in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Nicholls struck first in the opening quarter. Kicker Grant Showalter hit a 38-yard field goal after Incarnate Word failed to earn a first down. The Colonels seized control later in the quarter. Cornerback D’Angelo Edwards intercepted a pass and ran it back 68 yards for a touchdown. This pushed their lead to 10–3. UIW opened the game with a 24-yard field goal from Will Faris on their first drive. After that, they failed to find any offensive flow.

In the second quarter, Showalter added a 43-yard field goal to push Nicholls’ lead to 13–3 at halftime. Incarnate Word scored only in the second half with a Faris 24-yard field goal. This made the score 13–6. The Colonels secured the win in the fourth quarter. Running back Jamal Johnson sneaked in from the goal line, making it 20–6 for Nicholls.

The game was the first Southland Conference matchup on ESPN2 between two league teams. Both teams aimed for a strong start. UIW entered the contest favored by 12.5 points. Still, they had a tough time moving the chains, racking up only 218 total yards. Of those, just 45 came from rushing. Nicholls totaled 312 yards of offense. Their strong defense forced two turnovers and kept the Cardinals from scoring a touchdown.

Nicholls State (1–0, 1–0 SLC) will host Lamar next Saturday. Incarnate Word (0–1, 0–1 SLC) goes back to San Antonio to play Eastern Washington. A strong defensive play and a sharp Colonels offense led to Nicholls’ surprising win.