University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Comes From Behind To Beat UAB, Earns Bowl Eligibility
11/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Files associated with this release:
UAB Box Score
Football Comes From Behind To Beat UAB, Earns Bowl Eligibility
? Southern Miss outscored UAB 23-7 in the second half, including 17 straight points in the third quarter, as it defeated the Blazers, 26-21, Saturday at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
With the win, Southern Miss (6-4, 5-3) becomes bowl eligible, and assures itself of an 11th-straight non-losing season. The Golden Eagles have now won all five meetings with UAB.
Early in the contest, UAB established the momentum, using a four-play drive on its first possession, resulting in a 57-yard touchdown from Darrell Hackney to Roddy White, giving the Blazers the lead, 39 seconds into the game.
The Golden Eagles answered on its ensuing drive, as freshman quarterback Jeremy Young, who made his first career start at quarterback, led the team downfield, resulting in a 45-yard field goal by Darren McCaleb, his longest of the season and the second longest of his career.
UAB took advantage of a fumbled snap by Golden Eagle punter Luke Johnson, as they took over at the Southern Miss one-yard-line. The Golden Eagle defense held firm on UAB?s first two attempts, but Corey White scored from one-yard out on third down, giving the visitors a 14-3 lead.
Neither team put points on the scoreboard in the second quarter, but in the third quarter, it was Southern Miss who did all the scoring.
Junior quarterback Dustin Almond, who didn?t start because of a bad back, entered on the team?s opening possession and promptly took the Golden Eagles downfield on an eight-play, 70-yard drive, which ended
with a 14-yard touchdown reception by Tavarres Williams.
Following the kickoff, UAB?s first play, a pass by Hackney, was intercepted by Darrell Bennett at the Blazer 39-yard line.
From there, the Golden Eagles made the score 14-13, on a 24-yard field goal by McCaleb, with 8:59 to play in the third quarter.
Southern Miss added another touchdown, following a fumble by Hackney that was recovered by Matthew Chatelain, who returned it 26 yards to the UAB 30-yard line.
Four plays later, Almond found Antwon Courington for a 14-yard touchdown, as the Golden Eagles took their first lead of the game, 20-14, at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Southern Miss added another touchdown on its first possession of the quarter, as Almond scored from one-yard out, giving the team a 26-14 lead, with 8:35 to play. The Golden Eagles failed on their two-point conversion attempt.
UAB made the score 26-21, on a one-yard touchdown reception by Sam Dudley with 1:29 remaining in the game. The Golden Eagles were able to run out the clock to clinch the game.
Almond finished with 129 passing yards on 10-of-14 passing, including two passing scores and one rushing touchdown. Anthony Perine led the wide receivers with six catches for 69 yards, while Courington scored his fifth touchdown of the season, and Williams scored his second. With two field goals against the Blazers, McCaleb has now made all14 field goals he has attempted this year.
Hackney finished the game with 206 passing yards, on 11-of-30 passing and two touchdowns. White had a game high 132 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Michael Boley led the defense with eight total tackles (four solos, four assists), one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and two sacks.
Southern Miss will play its final home game of the season, Saturday, Dec. 4, in a 6:30 p.m., nationally televised game against No. 4 California. The two teams were originally scheduled to meet on Sept. 16, but Hurricane Ivan forced the game to be rescheduled.
