Nicholson Makes Mark as CSUN Sets Win Record

Cal State Northridge had won with defense, won with tailback Albert Fann, won with last-minute touchdown passes.

So, faced with the prospect of winning five consecutive games in a season for the first time, the Matadors figured that they needed to find another method.

The Matadors did--handing the ball to fullback Anthony Nicholson.

Well, perhaps describing Nicholson as CSUN’s fullback is simplifying matters. The 6-foot, 215-pound junior actually is a second-stringer who entered Saturday’s Western Football Conference game at Southern Utah State’s Coliseum with five yards in five carries to show for the season.

But with Jason Ferguson sidelined because of a sprained right ankle, Nicholson got the call.

Nineteen times to be exact. And he responded by becoming the only Northridge running back other than Fann in more than three years to reach triple digits in rushing.

Nicholson’s 136 yards helped the 15th-ranked Matadors defeat Southern Utah, 34-24, before 5,122.

The Matadors (5-1, 2-0 in WFC play) moved into first place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of Southern Utah (4-3, 2-1) and a game ahead of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, a 20-17 loser to Cal State Sacramento.

Northridge was outgained, 440-385, but the Matadors forced six turnovers.

Included was an interception and 33-yard return for a touchdown by nose tackle Alo Sila with 12 minutes 9 seconds remaining that put the Matadors in the lead to stay at 24-17.

Sila said he was surging forward, trying to pressure quarterback Brad Matthews, when he saw fullback Scott Firestone release from the backfield to set up a screen pass. Sila, 6-3, 255, fell back into the middle of the play, and Matthews’ pass hit him in the chest.

When Sila caught the ball, he knew what to do with it, tucking it away and sprinting untouched for the score.

“When I caught the ball, all I was thinking was touchdown,” Sila said.

Similarly, Northridge covered up and ran away when Southern Utah coughed up the ball again on a fumble a minute later.

Linebacker Terrell Taylor recovered for the Matadors, setting up a 10-play, 47-yard touchdown march that sealed the victory.

The drive was typical of Northridge’s offense. Fann carried seven times for 14 yards and caught a seven-yard pass, Nicholson added a 25-yard run, and the Matadors converted two fourth-down plays. Fann’s third touchdown, a one-yard run, put CSUN in front, 31-17, with 6:33 to play.

Fann, the school’s career rushing leader, matched Nicholson with 136 rushing yards--but in twice as many carries. He didn’t seem to mind sharing, even chiding Nicholson after the game for missing a block late in the game.

“He went the wrong way on one because he knew I was catching up,” Fann quipped.

Nicholson didn’t score but said he did not feel shortchanged. “When we get down near the end zone, we know who’s going to get the ball and what we’re going to do,” he said. “If (Fann) scores off my block, I score too.”

Both runners credited the offensive line for wearing down Southern Utah in the second half. “We were blowing people off the ball,” Fann said. “The O-line did a helluva job all game.”

Five times Northridge gambled on fourth-down, short-yardage situations. The Matadors converted on four.

“You can’t sit there in a close ballgame and go back and forth on the bad guy’s ballfield,” Northridge Coach Bob Burt said.

When Northridge finally opened things up, it did so quickly, scoring 17 points in six minutes during the fourth quarter. The Matadors’ three scores all came after--or by--turnovers. The last was a fumbled snap, which was recovered by CSUN linebacker Ken Wallace. That set up a 34-yard field goal by Abo Velasco that put the Matadors ahead, 34-17, with six minutes left.

Southern Utah made the score respectable on a 33-yard pass from Matthews to Dan Silcox with 10 seconds remaining.