Battle for the Paddle

Battle for the Paddle

Sport	Football
Teams	Nicholls Colonels Texas State Bobcats
Trophy	Paddle Trophy

The Battle for the Paddle is the result of a game postponement. In fall 1998, the Nicholls Colonels were scheduled to take on the Texas State Bobcats. Prior to the game, heavy rains flooded San Marcos, Texas and the field at Texas State. 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.

Nicholls Athletic Director Rob Bernardi 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. Texas State won the Battle for the Paddle 38–12. The next scheduled meeting will be in 2019.

Nicholls leads series 16–14.

Game results

Nicholls State victories

Texas State victories

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

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

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games