College Football

Nicholls pulls away from Northwestern State 31-14

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:24 a.m. ET

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NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) Chase Fourcade threw three touchdown passes to C.J. Bates and added a rushing score, helping Nicholls handle Northwestern State 31-14 on Saturday.

Nicholls (4-4, 4-2 Southland) pulled away in the third quarter on touchdowns from Fourcade to Bates of 2 and 74 yards to put the Colonels in front 28-14.

After De'Mard Llorens' 34-yard run gave Northwestern State a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, Fourcade found Bates for a 24-yard TD early in the second to even the game at 7. Fourcade later capped a 20-play drive with a 1-yard scoring run to put Colonels in front 14-7, but Northwestern State tied it at 14 on Brooks Haack's 56-yard pass to Bobby Chan-Chan.

Bates' three touchdowns and 179 receiving yards were career bests. He had 10 catches.

Llorens had 115 yards on 16 carries for Northwestern State (1-7, 0-6).