1986 Nicholls State Colonels football team

1986 Nicholls State Colonels football
1986 Nicholls State Colonels football
NCAA Division I-AA Second Round, L 31–55 vs. Georgia Southern
Conference	Gulf Star Conference
Record	10–3 (2–2 Gulf Star)
Head coach	Sonny Jackson (6th season);
Home stadium	John L. Guidry Stadium
	Seasons ← 1985 1987 →

1986 Gulf Star Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 11 Sam Houston State $^	3	–	1	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
No. 12 Nicholls State ^	2	–	2	–	0	10	–	3	–	0
Northwestern State	2	–	2	–	0	5	–	5	–	1
Southwest Texas State	2	–	2	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Stephen F. Austin	1	–	3	–	0	5	–	6	–	0

$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1986 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University as a member of the Gulf Star Conference during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Sonny Jackson, the Colonels compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 2–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the Gulf State. Nicholls State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, beating Appalachian State in the first round before losing to the eventual national champion, Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals.^[1] The team played home games at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 6	at Youngstown State*		Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 34–17		^[2]
September 13	at No. 13 (D-II) Troy State*		Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 26–25	7,500	^[3]
September 20	McNeese State*		John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 34–10		^[4]
September 27	Northeast Louisiana*	No. 17	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 17–13		^[5]
October 4	at Southwest Missouri State*	No. 12	Briggs Stadium Springfield, MO	W 31–0		^[6]
October 11	No. T–16 Southern*	No. T–9	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 17–10		^[7]
October 18	at No. 19 Stephen F. Austin	No. T–9	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 14–10		^[8]
October 25	at Southwest Texas State	No. 10	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX (rivalry)	W 35–21		^[9]
November 1	Sam Houston State	No. 4	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	L 38–41		^[10]
November 8	at Northwestern State	No. 10	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (NSU Challenge)	L 13–28		^[11]
November 22	Weber State*	No. 16	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 34–30	6,102	^[12]
November 29	at No. 6 Appalachian State*	No. 12	Conrad Stadium Boone, NC (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	W 28–26	7,767	^[13]
December 6	at No. 4 Georgia Southern*	No. 12	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA (NCAA Division I-AA Second Round)	L 31–55	9,121	^[14]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game