University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagles Entertain Virginia Saturday at The Rock
9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A 2-0 Southern Miss squad returns to action this weekend when they entertain Virginia in the final contest of a three-game homestand for the Golden Eagles here Saturday at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium.
Game time is 2:30 p.m., and can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network with flagship station 104.5 WXRR-FM (ROCK 104) broadcasting the game locally. The contest will also be broadcast on CBS College Sports (Comcast Digital Cable Channel 735 in Hattiesburg), as well as webcast through Southern Miss All-Access. In order to subscribe to Southern Miss All-Access, please log onto SouthernMiss.com and click on the All-Access button on the front page.
The Cavaliers (0-2) travel to Hattiesburg for the first time in their history to face the Eagles. The last time Southern Miss faced a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference was in 2006 against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
The Cavaliers will come into "The Rock" on a six-game losing streak while the Eagles are riding a seven-game winning streak, tied for fourth best in the nation with Ole Miss.
During the winning streak, the Eagles have not let an opponent rush for more than 100 yards in any game and were able to hold UCF, a traditionally run-heavy opponent, to just 15 total yards on the ground.
The Golden Eagles' defense ranks seventh nationally in rushing defense (38.50) and ninth nationally in total defense (182.50). Of the teams above the Eagles in those categories, three have only played one game.
Offensively, Southern Miss still ranks 13th nationally in total offense (507.50) and 11th nationally in rushing offense (264.50). This bodes well for senior running back Damion Fletcher who added his 23rd career 100-yard game against UCF. He is now tied for the second most 100-plus career rushing games in Conference USA history.
Virginia coach Al Groh brings a hungry group to Hattiesburg on Saturday and under the leadership of quarterback Jameel Sewell, the Cavaliers will aim for their first win of the season.
Groh has implemented new systems in two of the three phases on the Cavaliers game plan, and like the Eagles early last season; they have experienced similar struggles to get going.
Virginia has produced just 188 total rushing yards in two games which tie them at 99th in the nation.
Groh has produced Cavalier teams before that have started slow and gone on to excellent campaigns. Groh's 2002 squad started the season 0-2 before hitting a six-game winning streak and a bowl victory to finish 9-5.
Tickets for the Virginia game can be purchased directly through the Southern Miss Ticket Office.
To order, call 1-800-844-TICK (8425), go online at SouthernMiss.com or go by the Pat Ferlise Center, Monday-through-Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Pat Ferlise Center ticket office, along with the Eagle Club office, will open at 8 a.m. Saturday until 11 a.m., before the ticket operations move over to Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium at 11:30 a.m. Tickets will be available at The Rock at both the Northwest and Southwest ticket booths and will be open until halftime.
