Southland Conference champion Colonels learn they will open playoffs at Southern Illinois

When members of the Nicholls football team gathered in Talbot Hall on the university’s campus Sunday morning to learn its fate in the NCAA Football Championship playoffs, it was with a sense of anticipation rather than anxiety.

Unlike past playoff announcements when Nicholls waited to see if it made the field and where it might be playing, the Colonels only had to await their destination since they had earned an automatic bid as champions of the Southland Conference.

The Colonels found out on Sunday they would be playing Southern Illinois University at 2 p.m. Saturday in Carbondale, Ill.

“It was a little bit easier yesterday watching ball games, knowing that you’re in and just the anticipation about where you’re going to go,” Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe said. “I think the guys took the approach of hey, if we got a home game, great. If we didn’t, we were in. I think it’s going to be a good matchup.”

For a veteran like senior defensive back Jordan Jackson, the event was rather relaxing.

“It felt way better to know that you already are in rather than waiting to be on that edge waiting to see what happens. Coach preached to us all year, let’s win the conference and you don’t have anything to worry about our getting to the playoffs and just taking one game at a time. So it was a nice and easy blessing just sitting up here just knowing we were in just waiting to see where we’re going.”

For another veteran like junior running back Collin Guggenheim, the playoff atmosphere was sort of like a seal of approvement to his Nicholls career.

“I think that that’s kind of the fun part about finding out who we get to play in the playoffs and just kind of getting all the team together and get some of the community here and everything. Just being able to do this with the guys, that’s what you get out of it. Just being able to be with them in moments like this is what kind of makes your college career,” Guggenheim said.

For sophomore quarterback Pat McQuaide, the playoffs came in his first year in Division I after transferring to Nicholls from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

“This is why you come to Nicholls. This is why you play. To get to be in here, especially to know that we were in already,” McQuaide said. “That was big for us, to know that we were in and not having that anxiety of are we going to get in or are we not.

“We’ve done a lot of things throughout the year that prepared us for this moment. We get to play another really good team like we’ve done all year in Southern Illinois. I know we are very excited to go to Carbondale and playing in the first round.”

Like with most playoff openers, the 6-4 Colonels don’t know much yet about Southern Illinois.

The Salukis of the Missouri Valley Conference are 7-4 on the season and earned an at-large berth following a 38-9 win over Indiana State in their regular-season finale.

Nicholls and SIU have a common opponent in Southeast Missouri State. The Colonels lost to SEMO 35-31 in Week 8 while the Salukis edged the Redhawks 26-25 in Week 3.

“In doing a little research today possibly looking at some of the teams that might get in and where you might go, I know they’ve got a good ball club,” Rebowe said. “They won a big-time game yesterday to put them in by convincing (win over) Indiana State. It should be good, exciting. We get to go on the road, we get to travel and looking forward to this weekend.”

“Personally, I don’t know too much about Southern Illinois, but they look like a good team. We’re a good team, so we will have a dog fight and a battle on our hands,” said Jackson.

A win over Southern Illinois would advance the Colonels to a matchup against No. 4 Idaho, which earned an opening-round bye.

“I didn’t look that far ahead. You know what I’m saying?” Rebowe said. “You kind of look at it and just say, ‘hey, you’re just happy to be in. Let’s take it one game at a time and we’ll deal with that next week.’”