University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Louisville knocks off Southern Miss with overtime field goal
11/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Louisville knocks off Southern Miss with overtime field goal
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? It took two overtime periods, but in the end, it was the Louisville Cardinals who were standing on top as Nate Smith?s 27-yard field goal in the second overtime proved to be the winning margin in a 20-17 win over Southern Miss, Thursday, at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
With the win, the Cardinals improved their record to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in Conference USA play, while the host Eagles fell to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference.
?We didn?t make the plays tonight,? Southern Miss Head Coach Jeff Bower said. ?We had a lot of opportunities. We didn?t do much offensively in the third quarter or in the second half. You have to make plays when you get the chance.?
It was the tale of two halves for the Southern Miss offense. In the first two quarters, Micky D?Angelo and the Golden Eagles were on an offensive tear, amassing 196 yards of total offense and 17 points. But the good fortune would not continue in the second half, as the Eagles had just 99 yards and failed to score.
The loss extended the Cardinals? stronghold over the Golden Eagles, as Louisville has won its third consecutive game in the series. This was, however, the first time the two teams competed in an overtime game, and the game was only the third extra-period contest in Southern Miss history.
The Golden Eagles opened the scoring quickly, reaching the endzone on their first drive of the game. After blocking a Louisville punt, Southern Miss obtained the ball with good field position at the Cardinal 16-yard line. And after four-straight James Walley rushes gave the Golden Eagles a first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, D?Angelo found a wide-open Terrell Browden on a play-action pass for the touchdown. Curt Jones added the extra point to give the hosts the 7-0 lead.
The score remained until the closing minutes of the opening quarter as Smith connected on a 22-yard field goal to put Louisville on the board, 7-3.
Southern Miss countered with a field goal of its own midway through the second quarter as Jones? 48-yard attempt bounced off the post and through the uprights.
Louisville marched into Golden Eagle territory on the ensuing possession, but the Southern Miss defense came up with a big turnover to give the Golden Eagles the ball at their own 33-yard line. On the next play from scrimmage, D?Angelo hooked up with Chris Johnson on a 67-yard catch and run for the team?s second touchdown of the game. After the extra point, Southern Miss looked to be in control of the game with a 17-3 advantage.
But after the start of the third quarter, there was a reversal of fortune as Louisville gained the momentum and the Golden Eagle offense could not muster much yardage.
With 8:02 remaining in the third quarter, Cardinal quarterback Dave Ragone found Joshua Tinch for a 13-yard touchdown pass, bringing Louisville to within a touchdown.
The Cardinals then scored again in the closing minutes of the third quarter, as Ragone evaded the Southern Miss defense and threw a 34-yard pass to J.R. Russell for the score. After Smith?s extra-point, the score was tied, 17-17.
While the Louisville offense was heating up, the Golden Eagles were not. Southern Miss? best scoring opportunity came in their fourth drive of the third quarter as D?Angelo and company marched 38 yards in seven plays to the Louisville 41-yard line. But on the next play, Josh Minkins picked off D?Angelo?s pass and returned it 42 yards the other way.
Southern Miss also had two shots at putting points on the board, but both of Jones? field goal attempts in the fourth quarter were no good. Jones missed a 49-yarder, and the Cardinals blocked his 37-yard attempt.
Still neither team would score again in regulation, sending the game into overtime.
In the first overtime period, Jones? 46-yard attempt was wide right, giving Louisville the opportunity to win the game. But the Southern Miss defense created the Cardinals? fourth turnover of the game to send the game into a second overtime period.
Louisville then scored first in the second overtime, as Smith?s 27-yarder went through the uprights.
The Golden Eagles had one more chance to extend the game again, but Jones? 32-yard attempt was no good, securing the win for the Cardinals.
D?Angelo led Southern Miss with a game-high 228 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-35 passing and had one touchdown. Running back Derrick Nix moved even closer to the all-time rushing mark with his 96 yards on 25 carries. Johnson led all receivers with 141 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions.
Ragone also had a big night as he threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-37 passing. Damien Dorsey led the way with six grabs for 50 yards, while Russell and Tinch followed with 48 and 46 yards, respectively. T.J. Patterson led the Cardinals with 37 yards rushing on 16 carries.
Defensively, Antoine Cash led Southern Miss with 11 total tackles, including nine solo stops, while Rod Davis followed with 10 tackles. Michael Boley led the team with three sacks and also had eight tackles.For Louisville, Rod Day and Anthony Floyd both had 10 tackles apiece.
The Golden Eagles return to action when they travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane on Nov. 23. Louisville next faces UAB.
