Golden Eagles Look To Win Second Consecutive New Orleans Bowl
12/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 13, 2005
(AP) - Despite hurricanes causing the program so much distress, Southern Mississippi pressed on. So is the New Orleans Bowl.
Damage to the Louisiana Superdome resulted in this contest being shifted to Cajun Field in Lafayette, La., where the Golden Eagles try to repeat as this game's champion when they face Arkansas State on Dec. 20 to kick off college football's bowl schedule.
Southern Miss (6-5) is appearing in a bowl game for the fourth straight year, having defeated North Texas 31-10 to win last year's New Orleans Bowl.
The Golden Eagles' first scheduled game after that victory was supposed to be at home against Tulane on Sept. 4, but the game was postponed due to Hurricane Katrina. The team was forced to relocate camp to Memphis for about a week due to Katrina's aftermath.
The anticipation of Hurricane Rita caused the postponement of Southern Mississippi's Sept. 24 game at Houston, forcing the Golden Eagles to play their final nine games in consecutive weeks.
"This has been a difficult season for our coaching staff and players with all the hurricanes, injuries and other circumstances. I am proud of the players and especially our seniors for stepping up and doing what was necessary to earn the bowl invitation," Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower said.
Bower's team went into the season favored to win the Conference USA title, but hurricane problems and the busy late-season schedule were partly to blame for the Golden Eagles finishing in a three-way tie for the league's third-best record. Fatigue may have set in because the team lost three of its last five games by a combined nine points.
The defense gave up an average of 228.6 yards rushing in the final five games, about 68 more than the first six.
"We were close to having a 9-2 season," Bower said. "But I'm proud of our team for the way they hung together."
Quarterback Dustin Almond is closing out his Southern Miss career. Almond, who has a 26-17 record over four seasons, was 199-of-362 for 2,607 yards with 21 touchdowns in his senior year.
"He is the bulk of their offense," Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts said. "About two-thirds of their offense relies on him throwing the football, at least statistically."
In last year's New Orleans Bowl, Almond was 16-of-30 for 247 yards with one touchdown pass and also ran for a score.
After winning a share of the Sun Belt Conference crown, Arkansas State (6-5) is headed to its first bowl since 1987 and first since the Pecan Bowl in 1970. Between 1982 and 1991, the Indians were part of Division I-AA.
They split their last four games this season, beating North Texas 31-24 in the finale.
After returning only four starters on offense and six on defense, the Indians made a surprise run at the conference title this season thanks greatly to two seniors.
Nick Noce threw for 1,839 yards and 11 touchdowns while Antonio Warren rushed for 1,046 yards.
In the two seasons Noce saw playing time, the team was a combined 8-15.
"The group of guys on this team, we just want to go out and we always want to prove ourselves," Noce said. "It's great that we have another chance in December to play on national television."
The Indians only won back-to-back games once this season, but that was enough to keep them in the Sun Belt title race. Those consecutive wins in October were both thanks to kicker Eric Neihouse, who made the winning field goal in games against Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida Atlantic.
The Golden Eagles and Indians last met in 1980, with Southern Miss leading the all-time series 6-2.