University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Notes vs. Southern
9/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
General
-Southern won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half.
-Southern Miss' captains were Kelsey Douglas, Devin Farrior and Rod Crayton.
-It was the first-ever meeting between the schools.
-The Golden Eagles picked up their sixth-straight win over the SWAC.
-Jay Hopson improved to 6-0 over Southern in his career (previous five came as Alcorn State head coach).
-It was also Hopson's 40th-career win and eighth as a Golden Eagle.
Offensive Notes
-Ito Smith had the first four Southern Miss touches (three rushes, one catch).
-Smith's 27-yard touchdown run in the first quarter put him in a tie for fourth on the all-time list with 30, tying him with Ben Garry (1974-77) and Derrick Nix (1998-2000, 02).
-T'Rod Daniels scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 49-yarder down the home sideline.
-Southern Miss scored 28 in the first quarter, its first time doing so since the second quarter against Savannah State in the 2016 home opener.
-Quez Watkins' 26-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was the first of his career. He had four catches for 103 yards in his debut the previous week.
-Kwadra Griggs completed 12 of his first 13 passes and finished with 209 yards on 15-of-23 passing.
-Jaylond Adams' first-career catch was a 44-yarder from Keon Howard in the third quarter.
Defensive Notes
-Southern Miss has held two of its last three opponents to under 100 yards passing.
-Cornell Armstrong's 46-yard interception-return touchdown was his fourth-career pick and second career TD. Armstrong's first TD was off a blocked field goal against UTEP in 2014.
-The score was also Southern Miss' first on an interception since Curtis Mikell went 100 yards at UTEP on Sept. 24, 2016.
-Xavier Thigpen's touchdown on an end zone fumble recovery was the first fumble return for a touchdown since Marquese Wheaton (75 yards) against Rice in 2011.
-It was also Thigpen's second-career touchdown, previously a six-yard catch on a fake field goal against Rice in 2015.
-Tarvarius Moore's interception was the third of his career.
Special Teams Note
- Parker Shaunfield registered one-of-two field goals and now is 16-for-22 in his career.
