University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Great Moments in Southern Miss Football by John Cox
8/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
I have been lucky enough to have witness some of the finest and most thrilling moments in Southern Miss football history, but one of the most important toughest wins I have ever seen the Golden Eagles achieve was on a chilly night at old Nippert Stadium against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The first season of Conference USA football had been contested in 1996 and when the Golden Eagles lost a heart-breaking 56-49 overtime game to the Houston Cougars at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas, that season, they shared the title with the Cougars. But their thoughts and their preparation turned immediately to getting ready for the following season, determined to win the league title outright the following year.
Everything was geared to making the 1997 season a special one and saw among other events the athletic department return the nickname "The Rock" for the school's football stadium and place a replica of old Faulkner Field on a pedestal at the northwest corner of the Roberts Stadium Field, and "The Rock at Southern Miss" was painted on the wall below the press box on the west side of the stadium.
Coach Jeff Bower's 1997 football team adopted the motto of "Unfinished Business" as they opened the 1997 season. After dropping their season opener to defending national champion Florida at "The Swamp" in Gainesville, 21-6, they rebounded to defeat Illinois 24-7 on the road.
The Eagles had a week off prior to facing Nevada at The Rock, but the break had been tragic rather than restful: Coach Jeff Bower's daughter, Kristen, was killed in a car accident the week before. The team dressed in all black, dedicated the game to her and recorded a 35-19 win.
"It was emotional walking through the Eagle Walk before the game, but after that business was business. However this game meant a lot to me, I can tell you that," Bower said after the game.
The Golden Eagles would open the Conference USA schedule with a 42-14 home win over Louisville, a 23-13 road win at East Carolina and a 34-13 home won over Tulane.
But Nov. 1, at Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium, the now 24th-ranked Golden Eagles saw their Conference USA championship hopes quickly evaporating but what eventually happened that night with everything on the line produced a Great Moment in Southern Miss Football.
At one of the toughest places to play in Conference USA at the time, the Golden Eagles had reached down deep inside and found a way to win and keep their championship hopes alive.
The Eagles ended the season at 9-3 and ranked No. 22 in the nation. The Sporting News named Surtain a second team All-American. Surtain, wide receiver Sherrod Gideon, safety Perry Phenix, defensive end Adalius Thomas, defensive end Robert Brown and offensive lineman Kasey Keith were named first team All-Conference USA. Safety Jamaal Alexander, tailback Eric Booth, quarterback Lee Roberts, tight end Terry hardy and offensive lineman Henry McLendon were named to the second team. Surtain was selected as the league's defensive player of the year, with Bower receiving Coach of the Year honors.
The Eagles had done what they set out to do and taken care of their "Unfinished Business" but it might not have happen without their win that night in Cincinnati.
