Battle for the Paddle

Battle for the Paddle
	Nicholls Colonels Texas State Bobcats
Sport	Football
First meeting	October 4, 1980; Nicholls State, 24–21
Latest meeting	September 28, 2019; Texas State, 24–3
Next meeting	September 20, 2025
Trophy	Paddle Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total	31
All-time series	Nicholls leads, 16–15
Largest victory	Nicholls State, 63–37 (1993)
Longest win streak	3 games, three times by Nicholls, and twice by Texas State
Current win streak	Texas State, 2 (2011–present)

300km
200miles

Texas State

Nicholls

Locations of Nicholls and Texas State

The Battle for the Paddle is an American college football rivalry game played between the Texas State Bobcats and the Nicholls Colonels. The rivalry began between the two schools as an in-conference rivalry, first in the Gulf Star Conference and then the Southland Conference. The name for the rivalry originated as a result of a game postponement during the 1998 season. Prior to the game, heavy rains flooded San Marcos, Texas and the field at Texas State.^[1] Athletic directors and coaches from both schools decided to postpone the game and coined the annual contest the "Battle for the Paddle," joking that fans and athletes needed to use a boat and paddle to get to the game. The game eventually took place on November 28, 1998, with Texas State prevailing 28–27 to win the Paddle Trophy.^[2]

Nicholls head coach and offensive guru Charlie Stubbs brought controversy to the rivalry in 2011, when he refused to bring the Paddle Trophy to San Marcos due to Texas State having a scholarship advantage as an FCS transitional school, stating "we ain't bringing the damn thing."^[3] Texas State won the Battle for the Paddle 38–12.^[4] Since Texas State's ascension to the FBS, the teams do not meet as frequently. The two teams met in 2019, with Texas State winning 24–3. The next scheduled meeting will be in 2025.^[5]

Nicholls leads series 16–15.

Game results

^[6]

Nicholls victories	Texas State victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	October 4, 1980	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	24–21
2	September 18, 1982	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	14–7
3	November 10, 1984	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	30–14
4	October 26, 1985	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	20–12
5	October 25, 1986	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	35–21
6	October 24, 1987	Thibodaux, LA	Southwest Texas State	31–16
7	October 29, 1988	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	13–10
8	October 21, 1989	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	22–21
9	September 29, 1990	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	33–30
10	September 28, 1991	Thibodaux, LA	Southwest Texas State	19–10
11	October 3, 1992	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	38–13
12	October 23, 1993	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	63–37
13	October 22, 1994	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	27–26
14	October 21, 1995	Thibodaux, LA	Southwest Texas State	35–25
15	September 21, 1996	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	49–36
16	October 11, 1997	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	29–28

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
17	November 28, 1998	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	28–27
18	October 9, 1999	Thibodaux, LA	Southwest Texas State	16–0
19	October 7, 2000	San Marcos, TX	Southwest Texas State	25–0
20	October 27, 2001	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	33–14
21	October 19, 2002	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	24–21
22	November 6, 2003	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	31–13
23	November 13, 2004	San Marcos, TX	Texas State	35–12
24	October 29, 2005	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	32–29
25	November 4, 2006	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	21–19
26	November 10, 2007	Thibodaux, LA	Nicholls State	52–28
27	November 15, 2008	San Marcos, TX	Texas State	34–10
28	October 17, 2009	Thibodaux, LA	Texas State	34–28
29	October 16, 2010	San Marcos, TX	Nicholls State	47–45
30	October 1, 2011	San Marcos, TX	Texas State	38–12
31	September 28, 2019	San Marcos, TX	Texas State	24–3
Series: Nicholls leads 16–15

References

^ "Texas State Plays Host To Nicholls State In Battle For The Paddle Game on Saturday". txstatebobcats.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
^ "College football's most unique rivalry trophies". foxsports.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
^ "Goodbye to the paddle". houmatoday.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
^ "Texas State paddles Nicholls State". mysanantonio.com. October 2, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
^ "Texas State adds Nicholls to 2025 football schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
^ "Texas State vs Nicholls State – All Time". cfreference.net. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2013.

[1] "Texas State Plays Host To Nicholls State In Battle For The Paddle Game on Saturday". txstatebobcats.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.

[2] "College football's most unique rivalry trophies". foxsports.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.

[3] "Goodbye to the paddle". houmatoday.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

[4] "Texas State paddles Nicholls State". mysanantonio.com. October 2, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2013.

[5] "Texas State adds Nicholls to 2025 football schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved April 18, 2018.

[results-6] "Texas State vs Nicholls State – All Time". cfreference.net. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2013.

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v t e Nicholls Colonels football
Venues	Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium (1972–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Northwestern State: NSU Challenge Southeastern Louisiana: River Bell Classic Texas State: Battle for the Paddle
Culture & lore	Colonel Tillou Pride of Nicholls Marching Band Nicholls State Alma Mater Nicholls State Colonels Fight Song Colonelettes and Colorguard Nicholls Cheerleaders
People	Head coaches All-Americans NFL draftees
Seasons	1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Texas State Bobcats football
Venues	Evans Field (a.k.a. Normal Field) (1915–1931) Evans Field (a.k.a. Kyle Field) (1932–1980) UFCU Stadium (1981–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games 2023 First Responder Bowl Nicholls: Battle for the Paddle Sam Houston UTSA: I-35 Rivalry
Culture & lore	Boko the Bobcat "Go Bobcats!" The Pride of the Hill Country
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1904 1905–1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Southland Conference football rivalries
Conference	Battle of the Border (Lamar–McNeese) Chief Caddo (Northwestern State–Stephen F. Austin) McNeese–Northwestern State NSU Challenge (Nicholls–Northwestern State) River Bell Classic (Nicholls–Southeastern Louisiana) Northwestern State–Southeastern Louisiana
Non-conference	Red Beans and Rice Bowl (Central Arkansas–McNeese) Sabine Shoe (Lamar–Louisiana) Cajun Crown (Louisiana–McNeese) Cypress Mug (Louisiana–Southeastern Louisiana) Louisiana Tech–Northwestern State Louisiana–Monroe–Northwestern State Battle for the Paddle (Nicholls–Texas State) Battle of the Piney Woods (Sam Houston–Stephen F. Austin)

Game results

See also

References