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Nicholls vs. Northwestern State

Nicholls and Northwestern State have 26 meetings on file, the first in 1976; officially, Nicholls leads 17–⁠9; as played, 18–⁠8 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Nicholls 9–⁠1, and Nicholls has won the last 3. The winner takes home the NSU Trophy. Nicholls holds it. Nicholls forfeited the 2003 game. This page counts every game as it was played.

Official series
Nicholls leads 17–⁠9
Nicholls wins on file
18
Northwestern State wins on file
8
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1976
Longest streak
6 Nicholls
Current streak
3 Nicholls
Last 10 meetings
Nicholls 9–⁠1
Most recent
2025

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1970s2–⁠2
2000s5–⁠1
2010s6–⁠4
2020s5–⁠1
Average margin
14.3 points; 10 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Nicholls
10–⁠4 Nicholls’s record at home
At Northwestern State
4–⁠7 Northwestern State’s record at home
Neutral sites
1–⁠0 Nicholls first
Shutouts
5

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

NSU Trophy

Played for since
—
Held by
Nicholls

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the NSU Trophy.

Games that tell the story

  1. Nicholls’s biggest win2007: Nicholls 58, Northwestern State 0by 58 points
  2. Northwestern State’s biggest win2011: Northwestern State 34, Nicholls 0by 34 points
  3. Upset2003: Nicholls 40, Northwestern State 30Nicholls had a 27% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2010: Nicholls 37, Northwestern State 7Nicholls had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset1979: Nicholls 27, Northwestern State 24Nicholls had a 30% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Nicholls and Northwestern State, 1976 on13001500170019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Every game

Oct 24, 2026Nicholls at Northwestern State upcomingat Northwestern State
Nov 15, 2025Nicholls 26, Northwestern State 21at Nicholls
Oct 19, 2024Nicholls 20, Northwestern State 0at Nicholls
Oct 14, 2023Nicholls 1, Northwestern State 0at Nicholls
Oct 1, 2022Northwestern State 36, Nicholls 33at Northwestern State
Oct 30, 2021Nicholls 42, Northwestern State 21at Nicholls
Mar 6, 2021Nicholls 31, Northwestern State 24at Northwestern State
Oct 12, 2019Nicholls 45, Northwestern State 35at Nicholls
Oct 6, 2018Nicholls 28, Northwestern State 10at Northwestern State
Oct 7, 2017Nicholls 14, Northwestern State 10at Nicholls
Oct 29, 2016Nicholls 31, Northwestern State 14at Northwestern State
Oct 31, 2015Northwestern State 37, Nicholls 21at Nicholls
Nov 15, 2014Northwestern State 48, Nicholls 21at Northwestern State
Oct 12, 2013Nicholls 33, Northwestern State 21at Nicholls
Oct 27, 2012Northwestern State 27, Nicholls 26at Northwestern State
Sep 24, 2011Northwestern State 34, Nicholls 0at Nicholls
Nov 13, 2010Nicholls 37, Northwestern State 7at Northwestern State
Nov 14, 2009Nicholls 28, Northwestern State 21at Nicholls
Oct 6, 2007Nicholls 58, Northwestern State 0Neutral site
Oct 21, 2006Northwestern State 9, Nicholls 0at Nicholls
Nov 5, 2005Nicholls 31, Northwestern State 24at Northwestern State
Oct 21, 2004Nicholls 40, Northwestern State 14at Nicholls
Oct 25, 2003Nicholls 40, Northwestern State 30forfeitedat Northwestern State
Oct 27, 1979Nicholls 27, Northwestern State 24at Northwestern State
Oct 28, 1978Northwestern State 28, Nicholls 18at Nicholls
Oct 8, 1977Nicholls 10, Northwestern State 6at Nicholls
Oct 9, 1976Northwestern State 20, Nicholls 8at Northwestern State

Every game is listed as played on the field; a game one side later forfeited is marked “forfeited”; the official series above counts them the NCAA’s way.