University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagles Conclude Football Season in R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Sunday
12/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 19, 2009
NEW ORLEANS - Southern Miss concludes its 2009 football season when they will take on Sun Belt Conference foe Middle Tennessee State, Sunday night, in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome.
This is the second consecutive year the Golden Eagles (7-5, 5-3) have participated in the bowl and are 3-0 all-time in this game. Southern Miss defeated Troy in one of the most thrilling games of the bowl season last year, 30-27, in overtime.
For the Eagles, a tough MTSU team stands between them and their perfect record in the bowl contest. MT (9-3, 7-1) has used sound defense and steady quarterback play to become bowl eligible for the second time in Head Coach Rick Stockstill's four seasons at the helm.
The Blue Raiders are headlined up front on defense by a line that leads the nation in tackles for loss (8.83 per game) and has kept opposing quarterbacks on the run all season long. The Blue Raiders rank No. 4 nationally in sacks (3.17) and are opportunistic, ranking No. 9 in turnover margin (.92).
Chris McCoy, a 6-foot-4 redshirt senior defensive end, leads the MTSU defense and has been recognized by the SBC as Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Villa Rica, Ga., native has had a spectacular senior year tallying 22 TFLs and seven sacks. The do-it-all defensive end has also returned a fumble 68 yards for a touchdown, blocked a kick, and is credited with three quarterback hurries.
While the Golden Eagle offensive line will be tasked with keeping McCoy in check, the receivers and quarterback play for the Eagles will need to keep the ball away from the hands of senior defensive back Marcus Udell. The 6-foot, 184 lbs., junior college transfer is currently No. 4 nationally in interceptions with seven.
As a team, the Blue Raiders rank No. 5 or above within the SBC in every category with the exception of net punting and kickoff returns.
Larry Fedora's team will look to come out of the gates fighting and gain ground on an unfamiliar foe. This will be the first meeting between the two teams but both share a common opponent from their regular season campaigns. MT defeated Memphis, 31-14, in Murfreesboro while the Golden Eagles took down the Tigers in Hattiesburg, 36-16.
If the Eagles want to snap MT's six-game winning streak, they will need to do it with sound, fundamental football and allow their playmakers to make plays. Freshman punt/kick returner Tracy Lampley has had as successful a freshman campaign as any true freshman in Southern Miss history. The Waynesboro, Miss., native ranks No. 7 nationally in punt returns (15.35) and No. 9 nationally in kick returns (29.60). As a whole, the kickoff return unit is No. 8 nationally (26.09).
Sophomore wide receiver DeAndre Brown also returns to New Orleans for the second time in his career and will look to make amends with the game in which he suffered an early, horrific injury. As the season has progressed, Brown has returned to his original form, leading the team in receptions (43), receiving yards (720), and receiving touchdowns (7). The 6-foot-6 receiver will provide mismatches for redshirt junior quarterback Martevious Young to take advantage of all game long.
The running game, which Southern Miss has utilized early and often this season, is also going to be put to the test by a strong MT defensive interior. Senior running backs Damion Fletcher and Tory Harrison have been a one-two punch all season long and nothing should change as they head into their final game as Golden Eagles.
Fletcher, the school's most prolific runner, needs just 63 yards to become only the ninth running back in Football Bowl Subdivision history to rush for 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.
Defensively, the Eagles have a pair of defensive ends that have emerged as playmakers all season long. Cordarro Law and Terrance Conner have combined for 29 TFLs and 16 sacks over the season. Together, the pair has also forced seven fumbles which is a good reason the team is No. 9 nationally in turnover margin (.92).
The Golden Eagle defense will also need to contain and pressure MT quarterback Dwight Dasher. Dasher, who on paper looks very similar to UAB quarterback Joe Webb, leads the team in rushing as well as passing. Dasher has accounted for 32 touchdowns (21 passing, 11 rushing) and has thrown for 2627 yards. Appropriately named, Dasher has 953 rushing yards on 198 attempts. However, he has thrown 14 interceptions and the Eagle defensive unit will certainly try to force him into throwing a few more.
The game can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network and also seen via ESPN and online at ESPN360.
Tickets are still available and cost $40.
Beginning Saturday, the ticket operation will move to New Orleans and open from 3 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., at the Prince of Wales Room on the second floor of the Hilton Riverside (2 Poydras St.).
The Prince of Wales Room will reopen, Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., the ticket office will reopen at Gate B of the Louisiana Superdome and will operate until halftime of the game.
