THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State faced a difficult afternoon Saturday as No. 3 Stephen F. Austin delivered a commanding 56-0 victory over the Colonels at John L. Guidry Stadium.

Nicholls showed promise on its opening possession, moving deep into Lumberjack territory before coming away empty-handed. From that point forward, Stephen F. Austin took control, using an explosive offense and a relentless defensive effort to keep the Colonels off the scoreboard.

Lumberjacks quarterback Gavin Rutherford threw for 233 yards and four touchdowns, including three scoring passes to receiver Bugs Mortimer. Stephen F. Austin built a 35-0 halftime advantage and never looked back.

The Lumberjacks finished with 642 yards of total offense, including 354 on the ground. Nicholls struggled to establish consistency offensively, managing just 227 total yards against a Stephen F. Austin defense that controlled much of the contest.

Despite the difficult outing, the Colonels continued battling defensively, forcing two turnovers. Kevin Martin Jr. led Nicholls with nine tackles.

The loss dropped Nicholls to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in Southland Conference play, while Stephen F. Austin improved to 7-0 and remained unbeaten in conference action.

Nicholls will look to regroup as the Colonels travel to face Northwestern State on October 24.