Nicholls State opened Southland Conference play with a hard-fought 31-28 victory over UT Rio Grande Valley Saturday night at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium.

Quarterback Ean Rodrigue led the Colonels, throwing for 235 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Jackson Dufrene had a big night with five catches for 99 yards and three touchdowns.

Nicholls carried a 17-14 lead into halftime before taking control in the third quarter and building a 31-14 advantage. UTRGV made things interesting late, scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, but the Colonels held on for the three-point win.

The Nicholls defense came up with two interceptions and four sacks, while Kennon Loftin led the way with 12 tackles and an interception.

With the win, Nicholls improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Southland Conference play.