SAN ANTONIO — Nicholls grabbed the lead at No. 22 UIW early in the second half Saturday. The Cardinals answered with the game’s final 21 points and pulled away for a 42-24 Southland Conference win at Benson Stadium.
Charlie Diedrich gave the Colonels their only lead of the day just over four minutes into the third quarter. He picked off Emmett Brown and returned it 7 yards for a touchdown, making it 24-21 Nicholls. Diedrich also had eight tackles, two for loss.
Brown answered with three straight touchdown drives. He found Dane Farley from 4 yards out late in the third, then hit Isaiah Champagne for a 36-yard score early in the fourth. Damashja Harris sealed it with a 5-yard run with 1:59 left. Brown threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 88 more. Jayden Hibbler added 115 rushing yards.
Nicholls ran for 263 yards and held the ball for 35:32, but went 4-for-16 on third down. Patrick Gales ran for 88 yards, and Chase Richardson added 74, including a 33-yard touchdown. Preston Welch threw a 28-yard scoring pass to Devin Scura just before halftime. Kasai Jones had 12 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
Nicholls falls to 4-7 and 3-5 in the Southland. UIW improves to 7-4 and 6-2. The Colonels close the season against Southeastern in the River Bell Classic on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. at Guidry Stadium. It’s Senior Day.
Photo: Nicholls Athletics
