Nicholls State University, located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, is an unfamiliar opponent for Kentucky in college basketball, known for its Cajun-Creole culinary program, its mascot Colonel Tillou, and hosting the Manning Passing Academy.
The Nicholls State University football team, traveling for their FCS playoff opener against Southern Illinois, was left stranded at an Illinois airport for nearly 24 hours due to a series of unfortunate events. A pilot went off the runway, leading to a drug test that took 12 hours, leaving the team without a pilot. Their 1:30 a.m. flight was canceled due to weather concerns, and they were unable to find accommodations or transportation. They ran out of food and water before receiving assistance from Southern Illinois and the NCAA. The team finally boarded a flight home after a long ordeal.