University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Game Notes: Southern Miss vs. North Texas
10/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 18, 2014
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Southern Miss Captains: 9 - Nick Mullens; 39 - Brian Anderson; 45 - Dasman McCullum; 47 - Nic Bekkers
Coin Flip: Southern Miss wins the toss and defers to the second half; USM will kick to start the game.
Attendance: 19,127
Team Notes:
- The Golden Eagles made their first trip to Denton, Texas, since 1981 and first time with the Mean Green being a member of the Conference USA.
- Southern Miss improved to 5-4 in the series with North Texas, having now won four of the last five games against the Mean Green.
- The program won its first road game of the season and improves to 3-4 on the year.
Offensive Notes:
- The Golden Eagles score a touchdown on their first drive of the year for the second time - the other time coming against Appalachian State - which was capped on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Nick Mullens to Michael Thomas.
- The duo have combined for three passing touchdowns in the last two games.
- George Payne's five-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the fourth-straight game he has recorded a touchdown run. He has all five of Southern Miss' rushing scores this season.
- Ito Smith registered a season-high 38 yard rush in the 3rd quarter, after tying his previous high of 19 earlier in the period.
- Casey Martin registered his first career TD catch for the Golden Eagles of 19 yards with 1:52 left in the third period.
- Nick Mullens threw for a touchdown in the fourth consecutive game, and has two of more TD strikes in the last three contests.
- Mullens has thrown over 200 yards for the ninth-straight game and the 12th-time in his career and went over 300 yards for the second consecutive games - third for his career.
- Junior Jalen Richard, in his first game since the season opener at Mississippi State, collected a career-best eight receptions for 71 yards.
- The offense went over the 200-yard rushing plateau for the second time this season, finishing with 201.
- Southern Miss finished the contest with a season-best 37:11.
- The Golden Eagles finished the game with 506 yards of total offense, reaching the 500-yard plateau for the second-straight game (537 at Middle Tennessee) and for the second time this season.
Defensive Notes:
- Senior Michael Smith had a 29-game starting streak snapped due to injury. Smith did not make the trip to North Texas.
- Dasman McCullum registered the Golden Eagles lone sack of the contest late in the fourth quarter, collecting his team-high 4.5 sack of the contest.
- The Golden Eagles finished the game with two sacks.
- Senior Emmanuel Johnson collected a team-best seven tackles.
- Junior Kalan Reed added his team-best fifth PBU in the game.
Special Team Notes:
- Corey Acosta made his fourth, fifth and sixth field goal in a row versus the Mean Green to give him 14 made for the season. The 14 field goals are the most he has made in a season. Acosta has registered 38 career field goals which moves him into fourth place on the school career charts with Rex Banks (1983-86).
- The Golden Eagles executed their first called fake punt in the third quarter and Tyler Sarrazin recorded a 12-yard run for a first down.
- Acosta finished the game with a career-best five touchbacks on kickoffs in the contest.
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