2015 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team

2015 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
C-USA West Division champion
C-USA Championship Game, L 28–45 vs. Western Kentucky
Heart of Dallas Bowl, L 31–44 vs. Washington
Conference	Conference USA
Division	West Division
Record	9–5 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach	Todd Monken (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Chip Lindsey (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	David Duggan (4th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	M. M. Roberts Stadium

2015 Conference USA football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 24 Western Kentucky x$		8	–	0					12	–	2
Middle Tennessee		6	–	2					7	–	6
Marshall		6	–	2					10	–	3
FIU		3	–	5					5	–	7
Old Dominion		3	–	5					5	–	7
Florida Atlantic		3	–	5					3	–	9
Charlotte*		0	–	8					2	–	10
West Division
Southern Miss x		7	–	1					9	–	5
Louisiana Tech		6	–	2					9	–	4
UTSA		3	–	5					3	–	9
UTEP		3	–	5					5	–	7
Rice		3	–	5					5	–	7
North Texas		1	–	7					1	–	11
Championship: Western Kentucky 45, Southern Miss 28
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions * Ineligible for postseason bowl due to transition from FCS As of January 12, 2015 Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the West Division of Conference USA. They were led by third-year head coach Todd Monken and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They finished the season 9–5, 7–1 in C-USA play to be champions of the West Division. They represented the West Division in the Conference USA Football Championship Game where they lost to Western Kentucky. They were invited to the Heart of Dallas Bowl, where they were defeated by Washington.

On January 24, 2016, head coach Todd Monken resigned to become the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished at Southern Miss with a three-year record of 13–25.

Schedule

Southern Miss announced their 2015 football schedule on February 2, 2015. The 2015 schedule consist of six home and away games in the regular season. The Golden Eagles will host CUSA foes North Texas, Old Dominion, UTEP, and UTSA, and will travel to Charlotte, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, and Rice.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 5	9:00 p.m.	Mississippi State*	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	FS1	L 16–34	36,641
September 12	2:30 p.m.	Austin Peay*	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	ASN	W 52–6	23,042
September 19	6:00 p.m.	at Texas State*	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	ESPN3	W 56–50	27,252
September 26	11:00 a.m.	at Nebraska*	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE	ESPNews	L 28–36	89,899
October 3	6:00 p.m.	North Texas	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	FCS	W 49–14	26,430
October 9	6:00 p.m.	at Marshall	Joan C. Edwards Stadium Huntington, WV	CBSSN	L 10–31	22,763
October 17	6:00 p.m.	UTSA	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	ASN	W 32–10	28,745
October 24	11:00 a.m.	at Charlotte	Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte, NC	ASN	W 44–10	13,813
October 31	1:30 p.m.	UTEP	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	FCS	W 34–13	25,581
November 14	2:30 p.m.	at Rice	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ASN	W 65–10	18,656
November 21	2:30 p.m.	Old Dominion	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	ASN	W 56–31	29,568
November 28	11:00 a.m.	at Louisiana Tech	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA (Rivalry in Dixie)	FSN	W 58–24	19,028
December 5	11:00 a.m.	at Western Kentucky	L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY (C–USA Championship)	ESPN2	L 28–45	16,823
December 26	1:20 p.m.	vs. Washington*	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Heart of Dallas Bowl)	ESPN	L 31–44	20,229
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Central time

Schedule source:

Game summaries

Mississippi State

See also: 2015 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

Week One: Mississippi State Bulldogs at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	7	13	7	34
Golden Eagles	10	0	3	3	16

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: September 5
• Game time: 9:00 PM CDT
• Game weather: 81° F • 11 mph • Rain
• Game attendance: 36,641
• Referee: David Smith
• TV: FS1
• Southern Miss vs Mississippi State

Game information

First quarter 5:39 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 31 yard field goal, Southern Miss 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, -3 yards, 1:39 5:26 Mississippi State – Brandon Holloway 100 yard kickoff return (Westin Graves kick), Mississippi State 7–3. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:00 2:20 Southern Miss – Jay'Shawn Washington 19 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauche kick), Southern Miss 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:06 Second quarter 10:57 Mississippi State – Justin Johnson 5 yard pass from Dak Prescott (Westin Graves kick), Mississippi State 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 1:28 Third quarter 12:15 Mississippi State – Gus Walley 4 yard pass from Dak Prescott (Westin Graves kick), Mississippi State 21–10. Drive: 9 plays, 95 yards, 2:45 10:36 Mississippi State – Westin Graves 38 yard field goal, Mississippi State 24–10. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 1:22 8:37 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 27 yard field goal, Mississippi State 24–13. Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 1:59 4:02 Mississippi State – Westin Graves 37 yard field goal, Mississippi State 27–13. Drive: 13 plays, 53 yards, 4:35 Fourth quarter 13:01 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauche 27 yard field goal, Mississippi State 27–16. Drive: 13 plays, 68 yards, 6:01 5:55 Mississippi State – Dak Prescott 7 yard run (Westin Graves kick), Mississippi State 34–16. Drive: 6 plays, 82 yards, 1:40 Leading Passers MSU – Dak Prescott, 22–38, 237 yards, 2 TD USM – Nick Mullens, 30–44, 311 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Leading Rushers MSU – Dak Prescott, 8 carries, 72 yards USM – Ito Smith, 8 carries, 69 yards Leading Receivers MSU – Fred Ross, 5 receptions, 75 yards USM – Korey Robertson, 6 receptions, 81 yards Leading Tacklers MSU – Richie Brown, 11 tackles USM – Picasso Nelson Jr., 5 tackles

Austin Peay

See also: 2015 Austin Peay Governors football team

Week Two: Austin Peay Governors at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Governors	6	0	0	0	6
Golden Eagles	7	21	21	3	52

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: September 12
• Game time: 2:30 PM CDT
• Game weather: 84° F • S 8 • Partly Cloudy
• Game attendance: 23,042
• Referee: Johnathan Noli
• TV: ASN
• Southern Miss vs Austin Peay

Game information

First quarter 5:36 Southern Miss – Mullens, Nick Mullens 2 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 1:07 3:01 Austin Peay – Rashaan Coleman 44 yard pass from Trey Taylor (Loga Birchfield kick failed), Southern Miss 7–6. Drive: 4 plays, 87 yards, 2:35 Second quarter 13:51 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 75 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 14–6. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:21 10:23 Southern Miss – D.J. Thompson 3 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 21–6. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 1:52 7:37 Southern Miss – Korey Robertson 9 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 28–6. Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:02 Third quarter 9:23 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 49 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 35–6. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 1:37 4:54 Southern Miss – Justice Hayes 1 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 42–6. Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 2:10 1:23 Southern Miss – Kalan Reed 76 yard interception return (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 49–6. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 3:31 Fourth quarter 12:41 Southern Miss – Parker Shaunfield 28 yard field goal, Southern Miss 52–6. Drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 1:47 Leading Passers APSU – Trey Taylor, 11–18, 93 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT USM – Nick Mullens, 22–40, 275 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Leading Rushers APSU – Kendall Morris, 17 carries, 54 yards USM – Ito Smith, 10 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD Leading Receivers APSU – Rashaan Coleman, 2 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD USM – Casey Martin, 7 receptions, 81 yards Leading Tacklers APSU – DeKeivis Perry, 5 tackles USM – Dylan Bradley, 8 tackles, 2 sacks

@ Texas State

See also: 2015 Texas State Bobcats football team

Week Three: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Texas State Bobcats – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	14	7	21	14	56
Bobcats	3	22	3	22	50

at Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, TX

• Date: September 19
• Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
• Game weather: 92° F • E 7 • Mostly Sunny
• Game attendance: 27,252
• Referee: Kevin Stone
• TV: ESPN3
• Southern Miss vs Texas State

Game information

First quarter 11:47 Southern Miss – D.J. Thompson 23 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:13 8:49 Texas State – Lumi Kaba 27 yard field goal, Southern Miss 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 82 yards, 2:53 7:22 Southern Miss – Jordan Mitchell 19 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:27 Second quarter 14:54 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 1 yard run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 21–3. Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 6:03 13:41 Texas State – Tyler Jones 35 yard run (Lumi Kaba kick), Southern Miss 21–10. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 1:08 2:00 Texas State – Lawrence White 3 yard pass from Tyler Jones (Robert Lowe pass from Jack Rhoades), Southern Miss 21–18. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 3:28 0:34 Texas State – Demun Mercer 32 yard pass from Tyler Jones (Lumi Kaba kick), Texas State 25–21. Drive: 3 plays, 23 yards, 0:27 Third quarter 12:09 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 4 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 28–25. Drive: 5 plays, 58 yards, 0:58 5:56 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 3 yard run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 35–25. Drive: 12 plays, 82 yards, 4:43 4:11 Texas State – Lumi Kaba 33 yard field goal, Southern Miss 35–28. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 1:36 2:49 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 53 yard run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 42–28. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:22 Fourth quarter 13:36 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 50 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 49–28. Drive: 3 plays, 53 yards, 1:12 8:12 Texas State – Robert Lowe 2 yard run (Lumi Kaba kick), Southern Miss 49–35. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 5:24 7:59 Texas State – Tyler Jones 54 yard run (Lumi Kaba kick), Southern Miss 49–42. Drive: 1 play, 54 yards, 0:13 6:23 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 64 yard run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 56–42. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:36 0:51 Texas State – Safety, Southern Miss 56–44. Drive: 4 plays, -1 yard, 1:06 0:04 Texas State – Demun Mercer 4 yard pass from Tyler Jones (Lumi Kaba kick failed), Southern Miss 56–50. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 0:42 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 19–27, 333 yards, 4 TD TSU – Tyler Jones, 31–46, 310 yards, 3 TD Leading Rushers USM – Jalen Richard, 27 carries, 230 yards, 4 TD TSU – Tyler Jones, 18 carries, 160 yards, 2 TD Leading Receivers USM – Casey Martin, 5 receptions, 114 yards TSU – Jafus Gaines, 8 receptions, 78 yards Leading Tacklers USM – D'Nerius Antoine, 9 tackles TSU – Trey McGowan, 11 tackles

@ Nebraska

See also: 2015 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Week Four: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Nebraska Cornhuskers – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	0	0	7	21	28
Cornhuskers	10	12	7	7	36

at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE

• Date: September 26
• Game time: 11:00 AM CDT
• Game weather: 69° F • ENE 2 • Clear and sunny
• Game attendance: 89,899
• Referee: Tim O'Dey
• TV: ESPNews
• Southern Miss vs Nebraska

Game information

First quarter 9:57 Nebraska – Jordan Westerkamp 6 yard pass from Tommy Armstrong Jr. (Drew Brown kick), Nebraska 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 71 yards, 3:35 4:24 Nebraska – Drew Brown 29 yard field goal, Nebraska 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 4:03 Second quarter 10:49 Nebraska – Drew Brown 27 yard field goal, Nebraska 13–0. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 5:02 5:31 Nebraska – Drew Brown 40 yard field goal, Nebraska 16–0. Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 2:22 1:34 Nebraska – Drew Brown 22 yard field goal, Nebraska 19–0. Drive: 5 plays, 43 yards, 1:57 0:00 Nebraska – Drew Brown 50 yard field goal, Nebraska 22–0. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 0:34 Third quarter 13:19 Southern Miss – Ito Smith run for 17 yards (Parker Shaunfield kick), Nebraska 22–7. Drive: 2 plays, 25 yards, 0:48 0:27 Nebraska – Tommy Armstrong Jr. pass complete to Taariq Allen for 10 yards (Drew Brown kick), Nebraska 29–7. Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 4:04 Fourth quarter 13:34 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 21 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Nebraska 29–14. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 1:47 12:26 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 19 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Nebraska 29–21. Drive: 5 plays, 53 yards, 1:06 9:30 Nebraska – Tommy Armstrong Jr. run for 16 yards (Drew Brown kick), Nebraska 36–21. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:15 6:55 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard run for 1 yard (Parker Shaunfield kick), Nebraska 36–28. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:35 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 26–41, 447 yards, 2 TD NEB – Tommy Armstrong, 23–35, 368 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Leading Rushers USM – Ito Smith, 7 carries, 29 yards, 1 TD NEB – Terrell Newby, 18 carries, 76 yards Leading Receivers USM – Mike Thomas, 5 receptions, 121 yards NEB – Jordan Westerkamp, 11 receptions, 118 yards, 1 touchdown Leading Tacklers USM – D'Nerius Antoine, 8 tackles NEB – Chris Weber, 12 tackles

North Texas

See also: 2015 North Texas Mean Green football team

Week Five: North Texas Mean Green at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	0	0	0	14	14
Golden Eagles	7	14	14	14	49

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: October 3
• Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
• Game weather: 61° F • 9 mph • Overcast
• Game attendance: 26,430
• Referee: Javarro Edwards
• TV: FCS
• Southern Miss vs North Texas

Game information

First quarter 1:58 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 5 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:16 Second quarter 8:30 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 3 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 3:30 5:46 Southern Miss – Nick Mullens run for 4 yards (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 21–0. Drive: 4 plays, 60 yards, 1:34 Third quarter 8:55 Southern Miss – Mike Thomas 5 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 28–0. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 2:36 6:35 Southern Miss – Mike Thomas for 62 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 35–0. Drive: 1 play, 62 yards, 0:11 Fourth quarter 14:45 North Texas – Andrew McNulty pass complete to Carlos Harris 23 yard pass from Andrew McNulty (Trevor Moore kick), Southern Miss 35–7. Drive: 7 plays, 81 yards, 0:59 9:58 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 4 yard run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 42–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:47 6:35 Southern Miss – Justice Hayes 2 yards run (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 49–7. Drive: 3 plays, 66 yards, 2:02 4:03 North Texas – Willy Ivery 3 yard run (Trevor Moore kick), Southern Miss 49–14. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:32 Leading Passers UNT – Andrew McNulty, 11–21, 131 yards, 1 TD USM – Nick Mullens, 27–36, 325 yards, 4 TD Leading Rushers UNT – Jeffrey Wilson, 22 carries, 136 yards USM – Justice Hayes, 16 carries, 86 yards, 1 TD Leading Receivers UNT – Carlos Harris, 9 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TD USM – Mike Thomas, 7 receptions, 155 yards, 3 TD Leading Tacklers UNT – James Gray, 7 tackles USM – Picasso Nelson Jr., 7 tackles

@ Marshall

See also: 2015 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

Week Six: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Marshall Thundering Herd – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	7	3	0	0	10
Thundering Herd	7	10	14	0	31

at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV

• Date: October 9
• Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
• Game weather: 66° F • SW 3 • Mostly Cloudy
• Game attendance: 22,763
• Referee: Tra Blake
• TV: CBSSN
• Southern Miss vs Marshall

Game information

First quarter 6:08 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 6 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 89 yards, 4:35 3:05 Marshall – Devon Johnson 1 yard run (Nick Smith kick), Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 3:03 Second quarter 11:55 Southern Miss – Parker Shaunfield 33 yard field goal, Southern Miss 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 0:48 8:36 Marshall – Nick Smith 34 yard field goal, Tied 10–10. Drive: 6 plays, 35 yards, 3:19 0:25 Marshall – Ryan Yurachek 3 yard pass from Chase Litton (Nick Smith kick), Marshall 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:00 Third quarter 7:58 Marshall – Deandre Reaves 61 yard pass from Chase Litton (Nick Smith kick), Marshall 24–10. Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 1:43 1:49 Marshall – Jarquez Samuel 3 yard fumble return (Nick Smith kick), Marshall 31–10. Drive: 3 plays, -4 yards, 1:19 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 29–58, 314 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT MU – Chase Litton, 11–21, 163 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Leading Rushers USM – Jalen Richard, 16 carries, 87 yards MU – Devon Johnson, 22 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD Leading Receivers USM – Casey Martin, 9 receptions, 85 yards MU – Davonte Allen, 5 receptions, 57 yards Leading Tacklers USM – Brian Anderson, 11 tackles MU – Evan McKelvey, 10 tackles

UTSA

See also: 2015 UTSA Roadrunners football team

Week Seven: UTSA Roadrunners at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Roadrunners	0	0	10	0	10
Golden Eagles	7	9	10	6	32

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: October 17
• Game time: 6:00 PM CDT
• Game weather: 59° F • Clear
• Game attendance: 28,745
• Referee: Tra Blake
• TV: CBSSN
• Southern Miss vs UTSA

Game information

First quarter 12:35 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 47 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 1:26 Second quarter 8:38 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 25 yard field goal, Southern Miss 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:30 1:37 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 22 yard field goal, Southern Miss 13–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:47 0:00 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 20 yard field goal, Southern Miss 16–0. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 1:01 Third quarter 10:37 Southern Miss – D.J. Thompson 5 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 23–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:23 8:56 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 39 yard field goal, Southern Miss 26–0. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:32 5:53 Texas–San Antonio – Kerry Thomas Jr. 1 yard pass from Dalton Sturm (Daniel Portillo kick), Southern Miss 26–7. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:03 1:22 Texas–San Antonio – Daniel Portillo 30 yard field goal, Southern Miss 26–10. Drive: 10 plays, 34 yards, 3:22 Fourth quarter 13:06 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 1 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick failed), Southern Miss 32–10. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:16 Leading Passers UTSA – Dalton Sturm, 6–22, 66 yards, 1 TD USM – Nick Mullens, 23–31, 343 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Leading Rushers UTSA – Jarveon Williams, 16 carries, 88 yards USM – Jalen Richard, 25 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD Leading Receivers UTSA – Kerry Thomas Jr., 3 receptions, 31 yards, 1 TD USM – DJ Thompson, 6 receptions, 141 yards, 1 TD Leading Tacklers UTSA – Duke Wheeler, 11 tackles USM – Brian Anderson, 6 tackles, 2 sacks

@ Charlotte

See also: 2015 Charlotte 49ers football team

Week Eight: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Charlotte 49ers – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	10	13	14	7	44
49ers	3	0	7	0	10

at Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC

• Date: October 24
• Game time: 11:00 AM CDT
• Game weather: 68° F • 5 mph • Partly Cloudy
• Game attendance: 13,813
• Referee: Stephen Lamanti
• TV: ASN
• Southern Miss vs Charlotte

Game information

First quarter 7:19 Charlotte – Blake Brewer 25 yard field goal, Charlotte 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 3:08 5:49 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 69 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–3. Drive: 3 plays, 77 yards, 1:30 3:47 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauche 38 yard field goal, Southern Miss 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:48 Second quarter 7:49 Southern Miss – Taylor Marini 9 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick failed), Southern Miss 16–3. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 2:43 1:44 Southern Miss – Korey Robertson 4 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 23–3. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:32 Third quarter 8:29 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 4 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 30–3. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 6:31 5:54 Charlotte – Lee McNeill 20 yard run (Blake Brewer kick), Southern Miss 30–10. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:35 5:41 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 95 yard kickoff return (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 37–10. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:00 Fourth quarter 13:56 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 7 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 44–10. Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:03 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 24–38, 265 yards, 4 TD UNCC – Lee McNeill, 10–27, 93 yards, 2 INT Leading Rushers USM – Richard Jalen, 13 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD UNCC – Kalif Phillips, 17 carries, 71 yards Leading Receivers USM – Casey Martin, 8 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD UNCC – Trent Bostick, 3 rceptions, 43 yards Leading Tacklers USM – D'Nerius Antione, 9 tackles UNCC – Nick Cook, 8 tackles

UTEP

See also: 2015 UTEP Miners football team

Week Nine: UTEP Miners at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Miners	0	3	3	7	13
Golden Eagles	7	6	7	14	34

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: October 31
• Game time: 1:30 PM CDT
• Game weather: 67° F • 7 mph • Overcast, Rainy 1-hour, 6-minute weather delay.
• Game attendance: 25,581
• Referee: Joe Pester
• TV: FCS
• Southern Miss vs UTEP

Game information

First quarter 10:50 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 11 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 3:09 Second quarter 12:45 Texas–El Paso – Jay Mattox 38 yard field goal, Southern Miss 7–3. Drive: 17 plays, 77 yards, 8:49 0:15 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 9 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Tyler Sarrazin rush failed), Southern Miss 13–3. Drive: 3 plays, 68 yards, 0:33 Third quarter 9:27 Southern Miss – D.J. Thompson 27 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 20–3. Drive: 5 plays, 93 yards, 1:30 4:11 Texas–El Paso – Jay Mattox 26 yard field goal, Southern Miss 20–6. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 5:16 Fourth quarter 14:54 Southern Miss – D.J. Thompson 10 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 27–6. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:17 10:09 Texas–El Paso – LaQuintus Dowell 1 yard run (Jay Mattox kick), Southern Miss 27–13. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:45 6:45 Southern Miss – Tyler Sarrazin 8 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 34–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:24 Leading Passers UTEP – Mack Leftwich, 16–32, 197 yards USM – Nick Mullens, 23–33, 277 yards, 4 TDs Leading Rushers UTEP – LaQuintus Dowell, 17 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD USM – Jalen Richard, 20 carries, 127 yards Leading Receivers UTEP – Jeremiah Laufusa, 3 receptions, 54 yards USM – D.J. Thompson, 10 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TDs Leading Tacklers UTEP – Alvin Jones, 8 tackles USM – Kalan Reed, 9 tackles

@ Rice

See also: 2015 Rice Owls football team

Week Eleven: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Rice Owls – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	7	35	10	13	65
Owls	0	0	0	10	10

at Rice Stadium, Houston, TX

• Date: November 14
• Game time: 2:30 PM CST
• Game weather: 71° F • N 5 • Clear
• Game attendance: 18,656
• Referee: Daniel Gautreau
• TV: ASN
• Southern Miss vs Rice

Game information

First quarter 3:13 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 28 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:55 Second quarter 9:22 Southern Miss – Xavier Thigpen 6 yard pass from Tyler Sarrazin (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 3:12 7:30 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 50 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 21–0. Drive: 3 plays, 51 yards, 0:53 6:08 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 51 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 28–0. Drive: 2 plays, 62 yards, 0:19 5:04 Southern Miss – DJ Thompson 13 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 35–0. Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:06 0:30 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 16 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 42–0. Drive: 8 plays, 95 yards, 2:44 Third quarter 13:02 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 60 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 49–0. Drive: 4 plays, 73 yards, 1:58 7:53 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 39 yard field goal, Southern Miss 52–0. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:09 Fourth quarter 14:54 Southern Miss – Tyler Matthews 17 yard run (Stephen Brauchle PAT blocked), Southern Miss 58–0. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 2:59 11:10 Rice – Hayden Tobola 33 yard field goal, Southern Miss 58–3. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:25 9:45 Southern Miss – Jarell Aaron 47 yard pass from Tyler Matthews (Parker Shaunfield kick), Southern Miss 65–3. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:25 4:46 Rice – Nate German 20 yard pass from Driphus Jackson (Hayden Tobola kick), Southern Miss 65–10. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 4:59 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 23–31, 386 yards, 5 TD RU – Driphus Jackson, 8–19, 69 yards, 1 TD Leading Rushers USM – Jalen Richard, 6 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD RU – Darik Dillard, 9 carries, 70 yards Leading Receivers USM – Michael Thomas, 5 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD RU – Parker Smith, 3 receptions, 40 yards Leading Tacklers USM – D'Nerius Antoine, 7 tackles RU – Alex Lyons, 8 tackles

Old Dominion

See also: 2015 Old Dominion Monarchs football team

Week Twelve: Old Dominion Monarchs at Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Monarchs	7	10	14	0	31
Golden Eagles	14	0	28	14	56

at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

• Date: November 21
• Game time: 2:30 PM CST
• Game weather: 64° F • Overcast
• Game attendance: 29,568
• Referee: S. LaMantia
• TV: ASN
• Southern Miss vs Old Dominion

Game information

First quarter 8:19 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 1 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 2:20 4:11 Old Dominion – Martez Simpson 33 yard fumble return (Chris Kirtley kick), Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 10 yards, 2:29 2:38 Southern Miss – Casey Martin 34 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 67 yards, 1:33 Second quarter 13:05 Old Dominion – Zach Pascal 16 yard pass from Shuler Bentley (Chris Kirtley kick), Tied 14–14. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:33 0:00 Old Dominion – Chris Kirtley 25 yard field goal, Old Dominion 17–14. Drive: 17 plays, 77 yards, 2:26 Third quarter 12:53 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 24 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 21–17. Drive: 5 plays, 67 yards, 2:07 8:46 Old Dominion – Jonathan Duhart 11 yard pass from Shuler Bentley (Chris Kirtley kick), Old Dominion 24–21. Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 4:07 7:30 Old Dominion – Jonathan Duhart 64 yard pass from Shuler Bentley (Chris Kirtley kick), Old Dominion 31–21. Drive: 1 play, 64 yards, 0:11 5:51 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 19 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Old Dominion 31–28. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:39 1:34 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 10 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 35–31. Drive: 8 plays, 29 yards, 4:00 1:16 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 4 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 42–31. Drive: 1 play, 4 yards, 0:05 Fourth quarter 14:11 Southern Miss – Nick Mullens 9 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 49–31. Drive: 4 plays, 71 yards, 1:03 9:03 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 54 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 56–31. Drive: 2 plays, 58 yards, 0:32 Leading Passers ODU – Shuler Bentley, 22-41, 228 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT USM – Nick Mullens, 21-37, 302 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Leading Rushers ODU – Jeremy Cox, 21 carries, 98 yards USM – Jeremy Richard, 22 carries, 161 yards, 4 TD Leading Receivers ODU – Jonathan Duhart, 9 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TD USM – Casey Martin, 8 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD Leading Tacklers ODU – Martez Simpson, 11 tackles USM – Brian Anderson, 12 tackles

@ Louisiana Tech

See also: 2015 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team and Rivalry in Dixie

Week Thirteen: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	7	17	7	27	58
Bulldogs	3	7	7	7	24

at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, LA

• Date: November 28
• Game time: 11:00 AM CST
• Game weather: 58° F • NW 10 • Light Rain
• Game attendance: 19,028
• Referee: Joe Pester
• Southern Miss vs Louisiana Tech

Game information

First quarter 8:17 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 22 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 2:41 4:33 Louisiana Tech – Jonathan Barnes 47 yard field goal, Southern Miss 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 28 yards, 3:44 Second quarter 12:06 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 1 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:03 10:06 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 7 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 21–3. Drive: 6 plays, 54 yards, 2:00 4:10 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 21 yard field goal, Southern Miss 24–3. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:59 1:44 Louisiana Tech – Kenneth Dixon 22 yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Jonathan Barnes kick), Southern Miss 24–10. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:26 Third quarter 5:11 Louisiana Tech – Kenneth Dixon 43 yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Jonathan Barnes kick), Southern Miss 24–17. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:47 2:09 Southern Miss – Korey Robertson 1 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 31–17. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:02 Fourth quarter 14:41 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 57 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 38–17. Drive: 1 play, 57 yards, 0:09 14:20 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 17 yard run (Stephen Brauchle PAT missed), Southern Miss 44–17. Drive: 1 play, 17 yards, 0:02 13:56 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 11 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 51–17. Drive: 1 play, 11 yards, 0:08 10:23 Louisiana Tech – Trent Taylor 19 yard pass from Jeff Driskel (Jonathan Barnes kick), Southern Miss 51–24. Drive: 11 plays, 79 yards, 3:33 4:26 Southern Miss – Devonta Foster 26 yard interception return (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 58–24. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:45 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 24–37, 386 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT LTU – Jeff Driskel, 27–44, 355 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Leading Rushers USM – Ito Smith, 22 carries, 169 yards, 3 TD LTU – Paul Turner, 1 carry, 7 yards Leading Receivers USM – Michael Thomas, 7 receptions, 162 yards, 1 TD LTU – Paul Turner, 6 receptions, 112 yards Leading Tacklers USM – D'Nerius Antoine, 7 tackles LTU – Beau Fitte, 15 tackles

@ Western Kentucky (C–USA Championship game)

See also: 2015 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

C–USA Championship Game: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Western Kentucky – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Eagles	7	14	7	0	28
Hilltoppers	7	14	10	14	45

at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY

• Date: December 5
• Game time: 11:00 AM CST
• Game weather: 47° F • SE 2 • Mostly Sunny
• Game attendance: 16,823
• Referee: Ken Antee
• TV: ESPN2
• Southern Miss vs Western Kentucky

Game information

First quarter 12:29 Western Kentucky – Antwane Grant 5 yard pass from Brandon Doughty (Garrett Schwettman kick), Western Kentucky 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 1:31 6:56 Southern Miss – Jalen Richard 2 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:48 Second quarter 11:26 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 5 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 2:15 9:46 Southern Miss – Kalan Reed 40 yard interception return (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 21–7. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:40 2:52 Western Kentucky – Brandon Doughty 3 yard run (Garrett Schwettman kick), Southern Miss 21–14. Drive: 19 plays, 75 yards, 6:54 0:11 Western Kentucky – Taywan Taylor 2 yard pass from Brandon Doughty (Garrett Schwettman kick), Tied 21–21. Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 1:00 Third quarter 12:04 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 37 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Southern Miss 28–21. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:58 6:21 Western Kentucky – Garrett Schwettman 37 yard field goal, Southern Miss 28–24. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 1:27 1:19 Western Kentucky – Taywan Taylor 39 yard pass from Brandon Doughty (Garrett Schwettman kick), Western Kentucky 31–28. Drive: 5 plays, 67 yards, 2:16 Fourth quarter 13:57 Western Kentucky – D'Andre Ferby 3 yard run (Garrett Schwettman kick), Western Kentucky 38–28. Drive: 3 plays, 58 yards, 0:56 5:01 Western Kentucky – D'Andre Ferby 2 yard run (Garrett Schwettman kick), Western Kentucky 45–28. Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 7:23 Leading Passers USM – Nick Mullens, 15–30, 181 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT WKU – Brandon Doughty, 34–52, 410 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Leading Rushers USM – Ito Smith, 15 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD WKU – DeAndre Ferby, 21 carries, 57 yards, 2 TD Leading Receivers USM – Michael Thomas, 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD WKU – Taywan Taylor, 8 receptions, 165 yards, 2 TD Leading Tacklers USM – Cornell Armstrong, 10 tackles WKU – Branden Leston, 7 tackles

Vs. Washington (Heart of Dallas Bowl)

See also: 2015 Washington Huskies football team and 2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl

Heart of Dallas Bowl: Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Washington Huskies – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	14	7	10	13	44
Golden Eagles	7	10	7	7	31

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX

• Date: December 26
• Game time: 1:20 PM CST
• Game weather: 78° F • SSE 21 • Cloudy
• Game attendance: 20,229
• Referee: Micheal Roche
• TV: ESPN
• Southern Miss vs Washington (Heart of Dallas Bowl)

Game information

First quarter 5:16 Washington – Myles Gaskin 2 yard run (Cameron Van Winkle kick), Washington 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:09 3:33 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 56 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 54 yards, 1:43 0:56 Washington – Myles Gaskin 1 yard run (Cameron Van Winkle kick), Washington 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:37 Second quarter 10:56 Southern Miss – Stephen Brauchle 22 yard field goal, Washington 14–10. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 5:00 9:02 Washington – Jaydon Mickens 29 yard run (Cameron Van Winkle kick), Washington 21–10. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 1:54 1:15 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 1 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Washington 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 0:55 Third quarter 8:23 Washington – Cameron Van Winkle 24 yard field goal, Washington 24–17. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 4:09 2:47 Southern Miss – Ito Smith 2 yard run (Stephen Brauchle kick), Tied 24–24. Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 2:43 2:26 Washington – Myles Gaskin 86 yard run (Cameron Van Winkle kick), Washington 31–24. Drive: 1 play, 86 yards, 0:21 Fourth quarter 14:15 Washington – Cameron Van Winkle 21 yard field goal, Washington 34–24. Drive: 7 plays, 21 yards, 2:17 7:53 Washington – Myles Gaskin 13 yard run (Cameron Van Winkle kick), Washington 41–24. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 4:51 5:22 Southern Miss – Michael Thomas 27 yard pass from Nick Mullens (Stephen Brauchle kick), Washington 41–31. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 2:31 0:13 Washington – Cameron Van Winkle 23 yard field goal, Washington 44–31. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:09 Leading Passers WASH – Jake Browning, 23–34, 284 yards USM – Nick Mullens, 25–38, 331 yards, 2 TD Leading Rushers WASH – Myles Gaskin, 26 carries, 181 yards, 4 TD USM – Ito Smith, 16 carries, 40 yards, 2 TD Leading Receivers WASH – Jaydon Mickens, 8 receptions, 95 yards USM – Michael Thomas, 9 receptions, 190 yards, 2 TD Leading Tacklers WASH – Brian Clay, 8 tackles USM – D'Nerius Antione, 10 tackles