University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Continues Road Stretch At N.C. State
10/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 27, 2005
HATTIESBURG, Miss.- The Golden Eagle football team hits the road again this week for the second game of a four-game road stretch, facing N.C. State in an 11 a.m., televised game on ESPNU.
This will be the ninth meeting between the two schools, with the series tied at four wins apiece. Saturday's game marks the first meeting between the two teams in Raleigh, N.C. and will be the first meeting since the 1990 All-American Bowl, which was Head Coach Jeff Bower's debut.
The two schools played each season from 1958-63 and again in 1966. Southern Miss won the first two meetings, both in Mobile, 26-14 and 19-14 respectively, in 1958 and 1959. North Carolina State then won 20-13 in Hattiesburg in 1960, before winning 7-6 in 1961 in Mobile. The Golden Eagles defeated the Wolfpack 30-0 in Mobile in 1962, before North Carolina State won 14-0 in Hattiesburg in 1963. Southern Miss then won the 1966 meeting, 7-6, in Norfolk, Va., before the Wolfpack claimed the 1990 All-American Bowl in Birmingham.
Southern Miss enters the game with a 4-2 overall record, 3-1 mark in Conference USA. The team enters Saturday's game on a two-game winning streak, following a 37-28 victory at UAB on Friday, Oct. 21. Saturday's game is also the team's final scheduled non-conference game of the season, and marks the first of a two-game home and home series against the Wolfpack. The team is 1-1 in non-conference games in 2005, falling 30-21 to Alabama, before defeating McNeese State 48-20.
The Golden Eagles have scored 208 points on the season, averaging 34.7 points per contest, which ranks first in Conference USA and No. 23 nationally. The team has amassed 2,092 yards of total offense this season (662 rushing, 1,430 passing), averaging 348.7 yards per game (110.3 rushing, 238.3 passing). On the season, the team has converted on 36-of-82 third downs (44 percent).
Senior quarterback Dustin Almond has completed 105-185 passes for 1,352 yards and 14 touchdowns, which ties a season-high he set last year. Almond threw three touchdowns in last week's game against UAB, completing 18-of-33 passes for 247 yards. Against UCF, he tied a school record with five touchdown passes, matching Lee Roberts against Louisiana-Lafayette in 1998. Almond also set the points responsible for record with 36 against UCF. He currently ranks tied for No. 5 in Conference USA in passing efficiency (134.47), No. 7 in passing yards per game (225.3) and No. 8 in total offense (212.5).
Redshirt sophomore running back Larry Thomas posted the second 100-yard rushing game of his career against UAB, finishing with a career-high 28 carries for 129 yards. He leads the running backs with 105 carries for 406 yards on the season and has two touchdowns. Thomas averages 3.9 yards per carry and 67.7 yards per game.
With the loss of Antwon Courington for the season against UCF, redshirt sophomore Chris Johnson has been the team's leading receiver for the past two weeks, finishing the UAB game with three catches for 71 yards. He had the first 100-yard receiving game of his career against UCF, finishing with eight catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson ranks second on the team with 191 receiving yards and is tied for fourth with 12 receptions, averaging 15.9 yards per catch and 31.8 yards per game. Junior Anthony Perine now leads the team with 14 catches and ranks fourth with 161 receiving yards. Redshirt freshman Shawn Nelson ranks third on the team with 13 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Josh Barnes scored the first two touchdowns of his career against UAB, on a 34-yard reverse run and 14-yard reception. Junior Damion Carter has caught 25-yard touchdown touchdowns in back-to-back games.
Redshirt junior Jasper Faulk has 11 punt returns for 112 yards on the season, averaging 10.2 yards per return, ranking No. 5 in Conference USA and No. 39 nationally. Redshirt senior John Eubanks leads the team with 17 kickoffs for 405 yards, averaging 23.8 yards per return, ranking No. 6 in Conference USA and No. 44 nationally.
Redshirt senior Luke Johnson has 21 punts for 936 yards on the season, averaging 44.6 yards per punt. He helps the unit rank No. 1 in Conference USA and No. 3 nationally in net punting at 40.43.
Junior Darren McCaleb set the school record in made field goals with three last week against UAB, connecting . He now has 43 in his career, surpassing the previous high of 41 set by Steve Clark during his career from 1981-83. McCaleb has made 13-of-15 field goals on the season and currently ranks No. 1 in Conference USA in scoring (10.3), No. 1 in points by a kicker (10.3), also ranking No. 8 nationally. He leads Conference USA in field goal percentage (86.7) and field goals per game (2.17), also ranking third nationally in that category.
Defensively, the team has 413 total tackles (259 solos, 154 assists), 39 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, eight interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries, eight forced fumbles and 21 pass breakups. The unit ranks No. 1 in Conference USA in turnover margin (1.33), also ranking No. 5 nationally.
Senior Kevis Coley leads the defense with 62 total tackles (32 solos, 30 assists). His twin brother Trevis ranks second on the team with 43 total tackles (31 solos, 12 assists). Senior Tom Johnson leads the team with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season. Sophomore Brandon Sumrall and Faulk each have two interceptions on the season.
North Carolina State enters Saturday's game with a 2-4 overall record, 1-4 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team has dropped two consecutive games, 31-10 to Clemson and 27-19 to Wake Forest.
The team has scored 140 points on the season, averaging 23.3 per contest. The offense has amassed 2,039 yards of total offense (542 rushing, 1,497 passing), averaging 339.8 yards of total offense per game (90.3 rushing, 249.5 passing).
Marcus Stone will be the team's starting quarterback on Saturday. Stone has completed 16-of-32 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns on the season, against one interception. He threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns last week against Wake Forest. Jay Davis leads the team with 1,267 passing yards on 108-180 passing for six touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Toney Baker leads the team with 69 carries for 317 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 52.8 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. Darrell Blackman has 152 rushing yards on the season, with two touchdowns.
Brian Clark has a team-high 299 receiving yards and three touchdowns, averaging 74.8 yards per game and 19.9 yards per catch. T.J. Williams leads the squad with 25 receptions and has 276 receiving yards on the season. Tramain Hall has 20 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
Blackman leads the team with 11 punt returns for 63 yards, also leading the team in kick returns with 12 for 429, averaging 35.8 yards per return, which ranks No. 1 in the country.
John Deraney has punted 35 times for 1,430 yards, averaging 40.9 yards per punt. He also has made 9-of-10 field goals on the season.
Defensively, the unit has 474 total tackles (194 solos, 280 assists), 79 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, six interceptions, 25 pass breakups, five fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.
Stephen Tulloch leads the team with 79 total tackles (27 solos, 52 assists) and 15 tackles for loss. Manny Lawson and Mario Williams lead the team with four sacks on the year.
Game time for Saturday's game is set for 11 a.m., and will be televised on ESPNU.
