Think your Thanksgiving weekend travels were bad? Odds are they weren’t nearly as awful as the ones the Nicholls State football team just had to endure.
According to reps for the school, the entire squad — plus a bunch of staff members — were stranded at a tiny airport in Illinois for nearly 24 hours with limited food and water … all this after it lost its FCS playoff game.
The 6-5 Colonels were in Carbondale, Ill. on Saturday for the first round of the FCS postseason … and after they got blown out by Southern Illinois, 35-0, they headed to Veterans Airport in Marion to catch a ride home.
The problem, according to Colonels athletic director Jonathan Terrell, is due to various unforeseen circumstances … everyone had to lay out on the airport floor for around 22 hours as they waited for a pilot and a plane.
Terrell was critical on X of the NCAA, which handled the team’s travel plans.
“Student athlete welfare matters, NCAA,” Terrell wrote. “Seven hours in an airport, no transportation, no food and out of water!!!!”
Fortunately for the team, Terrell said SIU and Southland Sports Commissioner Chris Grant were able to get them more water and food throughout Sunday.
We’ve got great news! After 22 hours, the Colonels are heading home!
Thank you to everyone who helped out the Nicholls Football Team during this massive delay.
Safe travels back to Thibodaux (finally)!#EarnedEveryDay pic.twitter.com/7yhZAxzaOt
— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) November 27, 2023
@SouthlandSports
Finally, at around 6 PM Sunday, the team was able to catch a flight back home. They landed late Sunday night safely.