Southeastern Louisiana (5-5, 5-3 Southland) at No. 17/25 Nicholls (8-2, 7-1 Southland)
Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 | 6 p.m. | Hammond, La. | Strawberry Stadium (7,408)
Series History: Series tied, 13-13
Last Meeting: Southeastern Louisiana 44, Nicholls 42 (Nov. 17, 2016 – Thibodaux, La.)
Television: Cox Sports Television (CST)/ESPN3
            Announcers: Tommy Thrall, Rene Nadeau and Carley McCord
Radio: Southeastern Sports Radio Network (KSLU 90.9, Kajun 107.1, The Highway 104.7, WFPR 1400)
            Announcers: Mark Willoughby, Robbie Rhodes and Allen Waddell
Live Video (Subject to blackout in CST coverage area)
Live Audio
Live Stats
Southeastern Game Notes
Nicholls Game Notes
Southland Weekly Notes

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana football team will close out the 2017 season on Thursday, hosting No. 17/25 Nicholls at 6 p.m. for the River Bell Classic in Strawberry Stadium.

The Lions (5-5, 5-4 Southland) will be searching to secure its fourth winning season in the past five years, while also keeping the River Bell in Hammond for the second straight season. The game will be one of the biggest in recent memory for the nationally-ranked Colonels (8-2, 7-1 Southland), who are looking to secure their first postseason berth since 2005.

Prior to the SLU-Nicholls contest, Southeastern will honor the 21 members of the 2017 senior class. Wide receiver Juwan Dickey, defensive back Max Lyons, defensive back Ryan Sigers, defensive back Jeff Williams II, linebacker Jake Jiannoni, defensive back Mayori Ellison, running back Eugene Bethea, placekicker Dillon Burkhard, linebacker Sione Teuhema, linebacker Lee Spight, running back Shamar Busby, quarterback Micah Thomas, defensive back Jonathan Lyles, defensive back Torrance Mosley, defensive back Courtney Rutledge, defensive back Demareyeh Lane, offensive lineman Michael Vick, offensive lineman Paxton Sims, offensive lineman Travis Romero, offensive lineman Cyrus Ekugwum and defensive lineman Greg Hardaway II will be recognized in a pregame Senior Day ceremony.
Southeastern is coming off a bye week after falling at No. 22/22 McNeese, 13-3, on Nov. 4 in Lake Charles. The Lions have won their last five games coming off a week off dating back to the 2013 season.

While Southeastern's postseason hopes have ended, a chance to close out the season with a victory and send out the senior class on a winning note should provide the Lions with plenty of motivation.

"In-state rivalry games are special and we're excited to play one more time in front of our home fans," Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts said. "Nicholls is a very good football team and has had a great season. Coach (Tim) Rebowe has done a tremendous job. This is an exciting way for us to finish the season against a ranked opponent in front of our fans."

The Colonels have rolled off six consecutive victories on the way to putting themselves on the precipice of the FCS playoffs. Nicholls' last loss came all the way back on Sept. 23, when it fell to then-No. 3 Sam Houston State, 66-17, in Huntsville, Texas.

After struggling in the loss to the Cowboys, the Lion offense will look to return to form on Thursday. Behind sophomore quarterback Lorenzo Nunez (1,083 passing yards, 11 TD; 345 rushing yards, 5 TD), SLU ranks in the top 20 nationally in total offense (441.9 ypg, 20^th), scoring offense (36.2 ppg, 14^th) and rushing offense (284.7 ypg, 3^rd).

SLU has been fueled by its ground game all season, as Bethea (575 yards, 5 TD), junior Darren Johnson (566 yards, 4 TD) and junior Marcus Cooper (504 yards, 2 TD) all rank among the league rushing leaders, while junior Julius Maracalin is third in the Southland with seven rushing touchdowns.

Dickey is Nunez's top target with 37 catches for 430 yards, while freshman Austin Mitchell has hauled in a team-high five touchdowns. Dickey, sophomore Bransen Schwebel and sophomore Zeke Jenkins all have two scoring catches apiece.

Southeastern will do battle against a Nicholls defense that ranks third in the Southland in scoring defense (24.3 ppg) and total defense (348.4 ypg). The Colonels are second in the league with 31 sacks, behind the quartet of sophomore defensive lineman Sully Laiche (6.5 sacks), junior defensive lineman Kenny Dotson (6.5 sacks), senior defensive
lineman Marcel Andry (5.5 sacks) and senior defensive lineman Terrell Encalade (4.5 sacks).

The Colonel offense is averaging 29.1 points and 403.2 yards per contest heading into Thursday's contest under the direction of sophomore quarterback Chase Fourcade. The Metairie, Louisiana native has thrown for 1,990 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year. Junior Damon Jeanpiere Jr. (34 catches, 720 yards, 4 TD), senior Jarrell Rogers (23-258) and freshman Dai'Jean Dixon (17-401-5 TD) are the top targets for the Nicholls signal caller.

Sophomores Kyran Irvan (676 yards, 7 TD) and Dontrell Taylor (394 yards, 3 TD) are the Colonels' top rushers. However, freshman Tahj Smith earned Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week and STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week after rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown in last Saturday's 34-13 win at Stephen F. Austin.

Lyons leads the SLU defense with a team-high 83 tackles – good for third in the Southland. Teuhema, a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award and the Butkus Award, leads the Lions with nine sacks and 17.0 tackles for loss, while ranking ninth in the league with 73 tackles.

Williams II (59), Jiannoni (58) and Spight (55) round out the team's top five tacklers. Ellison leads SLU with three interceptions, while Lyons and Sigers have two picks each.

The Southeastern special teams unit is led by sophomore Juwan Petit-Frere, who leads the nation with 34.6 yards per kickoff return. The game will also feature two of the league's best kickers in Burkhard (9-13 FG, 47-47 PAT) and Nicholls junior Loren Fonseca (17-21 FG, 29-30 PAT).