Southern Mississippi Football

The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles football team represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level, competing as a member of Conference USA. The Eagles are led by Jay Hopson, who was hired as head coach on January 12, 2017. In 2013, the Eagles went to their first bowl game in school history, defeating Toledo 31-24 in the 2014 Boca Raton Bowl.

Quick Facts

- Southern Mississipp ia is located in Hattiesburg, MS.

- Established in 1912, the school has over 30,000 students and offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees.

- The mascot for the school is the Golden Eagle.

 - The school competes in NCAA Division I-A, Conference USA.

 - The school colors are scarlet and old gold.

 - The Golden Eagles compete at two home venues, M.M. Roberts Stadium and Hardy Field at Swayze Field.

 - The team competes in 14 varsity sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, football, softball, men's and women's golf, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor track & field.

Roster Breakdown

Southern Miss has a roster of 74 players that are primarily from the state of Mississippi, but also have players from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas. 

The team has played in three bowl games in their past five seasons with an overall record of 1-2. Defensively they rank 10th nationally for total defense and 5th for passing defense. They also rank 12th for scoring defense and 10th for red zone defense.

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Key Games/Conference Standings

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles play in the Conference USA and their games are broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. They have had a few years of success, including a ten-win season in 2011 and a 12-2 season in 2013. They have won two CUSA East Division Championships, but both were later forfeited due to NCAA violations.

 The Golden Eagles play their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium, a state-of-the-art football facility with artificial turf, seating capacity of over 30,000 and lights for night games. The stadium is located on Southern Miss' Hattiesburg campus.

 The Golden Eagles have appeared in five bowl games, most recently the 2013 Hawaii Bowl. Their overall bowl record is 2-4.

The Golden Eagles are coached by Jay Hopson, who was promoted from defensive coordinator after Todd Monken left for a job at Florida Atlantic in early 2017.

Toughest Games

The University of Southern Mississippi is a member of the NCAA Division I-A, Conference USA. They have a total of 8 football games this season. The team's first game is on September 3rd, 2017 against Western Kentucky University. The last game will be played on November 18th, 2017 against Louisiana Tech University at home in Hattiesburg, MS.

 The toughest game for Southern Miss so far will be on October 7th, 2017 against Texas El-Paso at home in Hattiesburg, MS. Last season they only beat Texas El-Paso by 6 points away from home. 

During their past season they played four games that ended in victories and four games that ended in defeats. In their last 10 games against Texas El-Paso there has been more than 6 points between them at half time.

Win Probability

The Southern Mississippi football team is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-6 season in 2015. With junior quarterback Nick Mullens returning after finishing the season with 29 touchdowns and 4,600 yards of total offense, their chances to make a run for the conference title are very strong. Last year's leading receiver Jalen Richard will also be returning as well as most of their starting offensive line.

 If Southern Mississippi is going to win more than eight games, they will need to shore up their defense. The Golden Eagles were ranked 102nd out of 127 FBS teams in total defense last year allowing over 450 yards per game. 

They also gave up 28 touchdowns on plays of 20 yards or longer. If they hope to compete with Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech for a spot in Conference USA Championship Game, Southern Miss will have to improve on their 2015 performance.

Summary

Southern Miss football has a rich tradition of excellence. As one of the oldest college football programs in the country, our proud history includes a national championship, 16 conference championships, numerous All-Americans and state-of-the-art facilities that rival those on any level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Southern Miss football on TV today?

Since college football season is underway, it's worth noting that Southern Miss is playing at Memphis this weekend. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNews and ESPN3. So if you're looking for a college football game to watch this weekend, tune in to see the Golden Eagles.

What Football Conference is Southern Miss in?

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are members of the West Division of Conference USA. This conference is made up of schools from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The Western Division members include UTSA, Rice University, North Texas, SMU, and Tulsa. The Eastern Division includes Marshall University, Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Middle Tennessee State (MTSU), Old Dominion University (ODU), and Charlotte.

What conference is Southern Miss in football?

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are members of Conference USA. The conference was formed in 1995 with 10 teams, and has since expanded to 13 schools. The conference originally consisted of schools from Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, but has expanded over the years to include more teams from Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Conclusion

Southern Mississippia has had a lot of success in the past. They have been to five bowls, won three of them and finished ranked in the top 25 six times. Unfortunately they had to replace their coach because he was fired. The new coach is not as experienced but looks like he will be good for the team. Southern Mississippia starts off with four losses then gets back on track by winning two games before losing again, which ended up being their last game of the season.