University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Alabama Downs Southern Miss, 28-15, In Rain-Soaked Conditions
11/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Alabama Downs Southern Miss, 28-15, In Rain-Soaked Conditions
Birmingham, Ala. -- Playing much of the game in high wind and driving rain, Southern Miss dropped a 28-15 decision to Alabama in the only Thursday night game of the season for a Golden Eagle team that fell to 6-4, while Alabama improved to 6-5 and became bowl eligible.
Southern Miss, bowl eligible since winning 28-21 at East Carolina Nov. 23, had hoped to parlay a victory at Alabama into a second-straight bid to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Now, the Golden Eagles must await the outcome of their Dec. 7 game against TCU, with a galleryfurniture.com Bowl bid going to the winner.
The Southern Miss-Alabama game originally was scheduled for Sept. 15, but tragic events that occurred in the Northeast forced a postponement. And throughout the day Thursday in Birmingham, there again was some question about the fate of the game as a slow-moving line of severe weather made its way through the area. While the game was played as scheduled, much of it was played in driving rain, fed by winds gusting to 30-35 miles and hour.
Given the conditions, the game was remarkably error-free, as each team threw an interception and Southern Miss lost two-of-three fumbles and Alabama two-of-two. Still though, the weather conditions did contribute to Southern Miss? eventual demise, in the form of a bad punt-snap that resulted in an Alabama safety and various crazy-bounces that kept fans and players unsure of what might happen next. Alabama scored the game?s first touchdown with a four-play, 27-yard, short-field drive that came as a result of a Southern Miss fumble.
The Golden Eagles countered with a 39-yard Jeff Kelly-to-LeRoy Handy pass less than two minutes later, but the ensuing Southern Miss PAT attempt turned into a weather casualty, leaving the Crimson Tide with a 7-6 halftime lead.
Alabama scored on a 40-yard Ahmaad Galloway run, but the Golden Eagles? Rod Davis picked up the blocked Alabama PAT and returned it for a two-point defensive score to leave the score at 13-8 midway through the third period.
Alabama extended that lead to 22-8 three minutes later, when Andrew Zow connected with Freddie Milons on a 26-yard score to cap a five-play, 45-yard drive. Southern Miss then drove 74-yards in 12 plays to pull back to within a touchdown with :07 left in the third period.
The Crimson Tide effectively put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 70-yard drive at the 10:33 mark of the fourth period to go ahead 28-15.
Despite the conditions, Kelly completed 23-of-36 passes for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Nine different Golden Eagle receivers caught at least one pass, led by LeRoy Handy?s seven grabs for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman running back James Walley, subbing for starter Dawayne Woods, who did not play after suffering a shoulder injury in the East Carolina game, rushed for 43 yards in the first period before finishing with 65 yards on 22 carries.
Despite losing the war, Southern Miss finished strong in the statistical battles, leading 22-16 in first downs, 239-90 in passing yardage, and 33:26-to-26:34 in time of possession. Alabama did gain 221 rushing yards, but not easily. The Golden Eagle defense forced three Alabama fumble turnovers, intercepted one Crimson Tide pass, recorded one sack and three tackles for loss. Joe Henley led the defenders with eight total tackles and five other Golden Eagles had five-or-more stops, including Rayshun Jones who had seven, including a sack for an 11-yard loss.
