Bearkats Move To 7-0 With Win At Nicholls
10/22/2016 7:19:00 PM | Football
THIBODAUX, La. – The No. 1 ranked Sam Houston State Bearkats scored on six straight drives and quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe threw for over 400 yards for the third time in the last four games in a 38-21 win over Nicholls on Saturday afternoon at Guidry Stadium.
Sam Houston (7-0, 6-0 SLC) ran its record to 7-0 for just the fourth time in school history behind 496 yards of offense while the defense pitched a first-half shutout for the second straight game, holding Nicholls (3-4, 3-2 SLC) to just 129 total yards in the first two quarters while building a 24-0 lead.
The win marks the 10th consecutive win for the Bearkats over the Colonels and fourth straight victory in Thibodaux.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After P.J. Hall forced a Colonel fumble near midfield late in the first quarter, the Kats cashed in on a 41-yard field goal by Luc Swimberghe to take an early 3-0 lead. The Sam Houston defense then came up big again, stopping the Colonels on a 4th-and-1 play inside Bearkat territory and the offense then went to work on a nine-play, 57-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard plunge from Javin Webb into the end zone to go up 10-0 with just 16 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Remus Bulmer got into the action on the next drive as the Kats converted on their third straight scoring drive. The sophomore hauled in a 17-yard pass in the right flat to convert a 4th-and-10 play inside Colonel territory and then capped the 13-play drive with a 3-yard carry into the end zone to up the Bearkat lead to 17-0.
After the Colonels missed a field goal on the ensuing drive, the Bearkats went 80 yards on eight plays to stretch the lead to 24-0. Derrick Dick finished the drive off, taking his first catch of the day 40 yards to the end zone with just 48 seconds left in the half.
Nicholls got on the board on the first drive of the third quarter, going 75 yards on 13 plays and cutting the lead to 24-7 on a 16-yard touchdown from running back C.J. Okpalobi. But the Bearkats immediately answered to go back up 31-7. Davion Davis set things up with a 47-yard reception deep into the Colonel red zone and Deon Hutchinson finished things off with a 1-yard reception on 3rd-and-goal.
One drive later the Colonels went into their bag of tricks to get that score back when quarterback Chase Fourcade and wide receiver C.J. Bates executed a throwback pass that saw Fourcade go in for a 25-yard score to bring the score back to 31-14.
But the 17-point deficit was as close as it would get as the Kats continued to pile the points on, going 84 yards on 11 plays one drive later to up the lead to 38-14. Briscoe found Yedidiah Louis for 35 yards on the big play of the drive before connecting with Hutcinson once again, this time from two yards out for the sore.
Nicholls added another score on a 7-yard connection from Fourcade to Bates late in the game before the Kats took a knee on the final possession.
TURNING POINT
The Bearkats couldn't get on the board on their first two drives, but got a swing of momentum with 9:11 left in the opening quarter. With the Colonels nearing midfield, Hall pursued Fourcade and forced the first fumble of the day for the Kats. Adrian Contreras recovered it at the Bearkat 43-yard line and the Kats turned it into a 41-yard field goal from Luc Swimberghe to get on the board as the first of four straight scoring drives to end the half.
KEY STAT
Fourcade accounted for 283 yards and two scores on the day, but the Kats were still able to get to him for three sacks and forced a crucial first-quarter fumble.
Offensively, the Bearkats were able to overcome a seson-high 11 penalties for 129 yards, converting all four times in the red zone and eight of 12 third-down tries.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe completed 32 of his 48 pass attempts on the day, connecting with 11 different receivers for 419 yards and three scores.
His favorite target on the day was Davion Davis who he found seven times for 121 yards, including a 47-yard connection in the third quarter that set up a score. Deon Hutchinson hauled in a pair of touchdowns, while Nathan Stewart also had six catches for 68 yards.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Defensive end P.J. Hall picked up seven tackles for the game, including two for a loss and 1.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble in the first quarter, setting up the first Bearkat points of the day.
Tyrell Stokes and Justin Johnson each led the Kats with eight tackles for the game.
RECORD WATCH
Briscoe's day was his third 400-yard passing effort of the season – all coming in his last four outings – which is the first time in school history a Bearkat signal caller has thrown for 400 yards three times in a career.
Corey Avery finished with 36 yards on the ground, but that was enough to push him over the 2,000-yard threshold for his career. He is just the 12th rusher in Bearkat history with 2,000 yards on the ground.
UP NEXT
The Bearkats return home next week, stepping out of conference when it hosts Texas Southern. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. from Bowers Stadium.
