University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Hosts UAB for Homecoming This Weekend
10/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 29, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss returns home this week to cap off homecoming week activities with Conference USA rival UAB. Game time is set for 7 p.m., this Saturday (Nov. 1), at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium.
The game will be televised by Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) and can also be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network with the "Voice of the Golden Eagles" John Cox handling the play-by-play, while Vic Purvis handles the analysis and Jason Baker adds his perspective from the sideline.
The Golden Eagles (2-6, 0-4) look to snap a five-game losing streak and continue its perfect streak against UAB. The Eagles are 8-0 versus the Blazers. This will be the fourth time that the Blazers have traveled to Hattiesburg.
Southern Miss defeated UAB in Birmingham, Ala. last year, 37-7, at historic Legend Field in Birmingham.
UAB is still riding high after defeating their first FBS team this season and C-USA foe Marshall, 23-21, two weeks ago.
The Blazer offense revolves around elusive quarterback Joe Webb, who has completed 57 percent of his passes (146-of-256) for 1,726 yards and eight touchdowns. Webb is also the team's leading rusher, amassing 723 yards on 136 carries with 7 touchdowns. The junior quarterback has also thrown 11 interceptions this season.
Webb is currently ranked No. 13 in the nation in total offense, a category in which Golden Eagle redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Davis ranks 16th. The UAB offense ranks No. 42 in total offense nationally, and seventh in C-USA.
The Blazers (2-6, 1-3) also feature the league's leading and No. 11 nationally ranked punting squad as senior punter Swayze Waters is averaging 43.7 yards per punt and will look to keep the Eagles deep in their own territory.
For USM, junior running back Damion Fletcher is currently 10th in the country in rushing yards per game, averaging 121.1, and hopes to exploit a Blazer defense that is ranked 81st in defending the rush. The Eagles ran for over 300 yards last season against UAB.
Davis also looks to pound away at UAB through the air as well. UAB currently ranks 111th in total defense, 114th in pass efficiency and 106th in scoring defense.
Davis will rely on his favorite targets, freshman sensation DeAndre Brown and redshirt senior Shawn Nelson, to take down the Blazers. Brown currently leads all freshmen receivers in the country in receiving yards per game and is ranked No. 18 nationally at 93.4.
On defense, junior linebacker Gerald McRath continues to lead all of C-USA in tackles with 98 stops, averaging 12.3 per game. He is ranked No.2 in the FBS. For more information on the homecoming festivities, please go to SouthernMissalumni.com for the entire schedule.
Tickets are still available for purchase at the Ferlise Athletic Ticket Center on the Southern Miss campus from 8-5 p.m., Monday-Friday or by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425), as well as online at SouthernMiss.com. The Ferlise Ticket Center also will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., with tickets available at the stadium ticket offices beginning at 4 p.m.
