Battle for the Paddle
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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. 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 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." Texas State won the Battle for the Paddle 38–12. 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. Their last meeting was on Sep. 20, 2025 in San Marcos. The Bobcats won that matchup 35–3.
Texas State leads the overall series, 17–15.
Game results
| Nicholls victories | Texas State victories |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No.DateLocationWinnerScore1October 4, 1980Thibodaux, LANicholls State24–212September 18, 1982San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State14–73November 10, 1984San Marcos, TXNicholls State30–144October 26, 1985Thibodaux, LANicholls State20–125October 25, 1986San Marcos, TXNicholls State35–216October 24, 1987Thibodaux, LASouthwest Texas State31–167October 29, 1988San Marcos, TXNicholls State13–108October 21, 1989Thibodaux, LANicholls State22–219September 29, 1990San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State33–3010September 28, 1991Thibodaux, LASouthwest Texas State19–1011October 3, 1992San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State38–1312October 23, 1993Thibodaux, LANicholls State63–3713October 22, 1994San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State27–2614October 21, 1995Thibodaux, LASouthwest Texas State35–2515September 21, 1996San Marcos, TXNicholls State49–3616October 11, 1997Thibodaux, LANicholls State29–2817November 28, 1998San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State28–27No.DateLocationWinnerScore18October 9, 1999Thibodaux, LASouthwest Texas State16–019October 7, 2000San Marcos, TXSouthwest Texas State25–020October 27, 2001Thibodaux, LANicholls State33–1421October 19, 2002San Marcos, TXNicholls State24–2122November 6, 2003Thibodaux, LATexas State13–0†23November 13, 2004San Marcos, TXTexas State35–1224October 29, 2005Thibodaux, LANicholls State32–2925November 4, 2006San Marcos, TXNicholls State21–1926November 10, 2007Thibodaux, LANicholls State52–2827November 15, 2008San Marcos, TXTexas State34–1028October 17, 2009Thibodaux, LATexas State34–2829October 16, 2010San Marcos, TXNicholls State47–4530October 1, 2011San Marcos, TXTexas State38–1231September 28, 2019San Marcos, TXTexas State24–332September 20, 2025San Marcos, TXTexas State35–3Series: Texas State leads 17–15† Nicholls State forfeited 2003 win due to an ineligible player. | ||||
| 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 |
| 17 | November 28, 1998 | San Marcos, TX | Southwest Texas State | 28–27 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 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 | Texas State | 13–0† |
| 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 |
| 32 | September 20, 2025 | San Marcos, TX | Texas State | 35–3 |
| Series: Texas State leads 17–15 | ||||
| † Nicholls State forfeited 2003 win due to an ineligible player. |