University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Opens Conference USA Play against Marshall This Weekend
9/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss returns home to open Conference USA play against Marshall, Saturday, in a 2:30 p.m., contest at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium.
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 8-11 a.m., with tickets available at the stadium ticket offices beginning at 11:30 a.m.
The Golden Eagles open their 13th-season of C-USA play this weekend and look to win at home for the sixth-straight time when they begin league play at home. Southern Miss has never had a losing record in Conference USA play and have captured four championships in the previous 12 seasons.
This will be the fourth time the Golden Eagles and Thundering Herd have squared off in football with Southern Miss holding a 3-0 advantage in the series. A 42-7 victory over Marshall in 2006 highlights the only other visit to Hattiesburg for the Herd.
The Golden Eagles continue to be led by Damion Fletcher offensively who has rushed for 338 yards on 57 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Fletcher ranks third on the Southern Miss rushing charts with 3,312 yards, while also catching 60 passes for 501 yards during his career.
Redshirt freshman Austin Davis paces the offense at quarterback, throwing for 200 or more yards in each of his first three games. No Southern Miss quarterback has ever done that before to start the season and he is tied for the most 200-plus passing yard games as a freshman at the school.
Davis' biggest target has been senior Shawn Nelson, who has caught 22 passes for 263 yards and a pair of scores. Nelson currently holds a pair of 100-plus receiving yard games over his last two contests to his credit. That is just the second time in his career that he has done that.
On defense, reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath leads the squad in tackles with 32, which ranks No. 10 nationally. Defensive backs Eddie Hicks and Chico Hunter are next with 27 stops apiece.
Marshall enters play with a 2-1 mark and 1-0 in conference play after defeating Memphis 17-16 at home last weekend in its C-USA opener.
The game can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network and also will be televised on CSS (Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast).
