NATCHITOCHES – Nicholls doesn't use the N-S-U abbreviation any longer, but the N-S-U Challenge Trophy still matters to the Colonels.

For Northwestern State, the "Real NSU Game" is an annual highlight thanks to that trophy, and having two coaches who used to run the Nicholls program.

So when the Demons host the Colonels at 6 p.m. Saturday in Turpin Stadium, there's plenty at stake although neither team is in the race to win the Southland Conference football title.

The trophy was developed in 1993 by student government leaders at both schools. While coaching at Nicholls, Jay Thomas found the trophy in a closet, cleaned it up and took it to the Colonels' locker room.

For the last two years, he's enjoyed placing it in the Demons' dressing room on game week. Northwestern won 37-21 last year in Thibodaux after posting a 48-21 triumph in Turpin Stadium in 2014.

"It's always an intense battle. Both teams come geared up, ready to play," said Thomas. "Our paths cross a lot of places in recruiting. Daryl and I have a lot of friends from our years down there."

Defensive coordinator Daryl Daye was also an assistant, then a head coach at Nicholls. Combined with Thomas, they spent 18 years in Thibodaux, and both worked on the Colonels staff in the late 1990s with Nicholls' second-year head coach Tim Rebowe.

"We know each other very, very well," said Rebowe. "There aren't many secrets between us."

Rebowe and his team have designs on changing the location of the N-S-U Challenge Trophy.

"I've seen pictures of it," he said. "We'd like to bring it back to Thibodaux."

Nicholls (3-4 overall, 3-2 in the conference) fell at home 38-21 last week to national No. 1 Sam Houston State. Northwestern (1-6, 0-5) faded after forging a 21-all tie in the third quarter and was beaten at home 48-27 by McNeese.

Winning a trophy game would be a welcome boost for both clubs. For the Demons, said senior receiver and return specialist Shakeir Ryan, it would be restorative.

"You're going to face obstacles in life where you just want to give up. It might be your job, or something else, and this is a life lesson. Keep finishing," he said. "It's for pride now, and we have the N-S-U Trophy to play for, and it would be big to win it."

Ryan, a Lafayette-Northside product who scored on a 26-yard reverse last week, has been going back-and-forth with friends at Nicholls.

"I've got a couple buddies over there, and they're talking smack. I'm excited about it and definitely looking forward to Saturday," he said. "We all are."

While his touchdown was spectacular, it didn't register in the grand scheme as much as a milestone Ryan didn't realize he reached last Saturday. With his second catch, he moved into second all-time in Demon history for career receptions. He has 128, passing former record-holder Derrick Doyle's 126 from 2003-06. Ryan's former teammate, 2015 senior and current Buffalo Bills receiver Ed Eagan, shattered the record last year and finished with 177 catches at NSU.

"I actually didn't know about it until Sunday. Everybody was telling me congratulations on Twitter, and that's how I found out," said Ryan. "It's a blessing, to have something like that after four years of hard work."

Ryan keeps working on his craft.

"We all can be better. I know I can. In fact, on the game film, (receivers) coach (Alvin) Slaughter showed me some things that I need to improve, so I'm working on those," he said. "We're close every week and the little things could be the difference in winning or not."