Ty Marsh's pick-6 highlights big defensive effort and Nicholls dumps Incarnate Word in FCS opener

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THIBODAUX, La. (AP) — Ty Marsh returned an interception for a touchdown, Nicholls held Incarnate Word to 204 yards of offense, and the Colonels defeated the Cardinals 20-6 on Saturday in the debut of Tommy Rybacki as coach of the Colonels.

Not only was the matchup the first FCS game of the season, it was the first Division I game played in the United States. Nicholls prevailed in a clash between the two teams that have won six of the past seven Southland Conference championships.

UIW, ranked No. 4 in the preseason coaches poll, is the defending conference champion after going 7-0 in 2024.

The Cardinals have won three of the last four conference championships (2021, 2022 and 2024), with the exception being Nicholls' championship in 2023. Nicholls also won in 2018 and 2019. Rybacki was the Colonels' defensive coordinator for all three conference championships.

Late in the second quarter, Marsh broke up a Richard Torres pass intended for Timothy Carter. As the ball caromed into the air, Marsh hauled it in and raced untouched the last 29 yards for a 13-3 lead.

UIW drove deep into Nicholls territory early in the fourth quarter, but Anthony Rodgers intercepted a Torres pass near the goal line. Six plays later, Deuce Hogan hit Karaaz Johnson for a 55-yard touchdown and a 20-6 lead.

Hogan completed 21 of 35 passes for 221 yards and the touchdown to Johnson, who had two catches for 58 yards.

Torres was 23-for-35 passing for 175 yards and was intercepted three times.

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