Nicholls State vs LA Tech Prediction College Football Picks 8/31/24

The Nicholls Colonels and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs meet in week 1 college football action from Joe Alliet Stadium on Saturday night. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Nicholls vs. Louisiana Tech prediction.

Nicholls Team Preview

The Nicholls Colonels come into the 2024 season looking to build on a solid 2023 season where the Colonels went 7-4 overall after an 0-3 start to the year and finishing undefeated in conference play for the first time in program history and winning a Southland Conference championship.

Pat McQuaide’s back at QB after recording 2,196 passing yards with 13 TDs and 12 INTs in his first campaign under center, while Jaylon Spears is back after being named Southland offensive player of the year following a season where he logged over 1,200 all-purpose yards and 9 TDs. Collin Guggenheim added 833 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in the backfield for the Colonels in 2023 while Quincy Brown is back in Nicholls’ receiving group after logging 301 receiving yards and 2 TDs last year.

On defense, nine starters return for the Colonels, including All-American Tyler Morton at safety after recording 63 tackles and 4 INTs last year as part of a Nicholls defense that led the conference with 16 interceptions. Rasheed Lovelace will lead the defensive line while Joe Mason comes back on the edge after leading Nicholls with 6.5 sacks. Eli Ennis and Hayden Shaheen make up a formidable pairing at linebacker as well for the Colonels.

Why the Nicholls State Colonels will win

• Louisiana Tech has lost each of its last six games.
• The underdog has won three of Louisiana Tech’s last four games at Joe Aillet Stadium.
• Louisiana Tech has failed to cover the spread in each of its last six games.
• The underdog has covered the spread in seven of Louisiana Tech’s last nine games at Joe Aillet Stadium.

Louisiana Tech Team Preview

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs come into the 2024 campaign hoping to improve on a frustrating 2023 season where LA Tech finished 3-9 overall including a 2-6 mark in C-USA play. Jack Turner and Southern Miss transfer Ty Keyes are expected to battle for the starting spot under center, but whoever gets the starting job has a fairly green receiving corps to work with Tru Edwards leading the charge as the top returning receiver after logging 23 receptions last year.

The Bulldogs did get Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim from Bowling Green and Decoldest Crawford is in the mix as well. Donerio Davenport transfers in from Texas State to flank Marquis Crosby in LA Tech’s backfield, with Crosby hoping for a clean bill of health in 2024 after an injury-plagued 2023 season.

On defense, Mykol Clark is the top returning name on the defensive line while Zach Zimos is back at linebacker. Sifa Leota and Jamarcus Jones transfer in from North Texas and UAB respectively, but there are still a lot of new pieces that will likely take time to gel. The secondary for LA Tech is in flux, with a lot of transfers and youth, with Iowa State getting Blake Thompson to transfer in as a likely starter while Michael Richard and Demarcus Griffin-Taylor fighting for snaps as well in the Bulldog secondary.

Why the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will win

• Louisiana Tech has won each of its last nine home openers.
• Louisiana Tech has covered the spread in three of its last four home games against non-conference opponents.

Nicholls vs. Louisiana Tech Prediction

I’m leaning towards Nicholls here. This is just a big line for me for an LA Tech team that’s got a lot of question marks and is rather unproven and is a step down in my eyes from a 3-win team from last year. Nicholls has a lot of solid returning pieces and is expected to contend for another Southland conference title. I think this one could get hairy for Louisiana Tech. Give me Nicholls and the points.