University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, September 1
Hattiesburg, Miss.
6:00 PM
Southern Miss
vs
Jackson State
Football Season No. 102 Opens Saturday versus Jackson State
8/31/2018 5:17:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss football team opens its 102nd season Saturday when they entertain Jackson State at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
The game can be seen via ESPN+ or heard via an affiliate on the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network.
The Golden Eagles, who collected their second-straight winning season as well as reaching a bowl game for the second consecutive year on the strength of an 8-5 record in 2017, look to vie for the Conference USA championship in the third year of the Jay Hopson era.
The two schools renew their rivalry that has had two previous meetings, with Southern Miss winning 17-7 in the inaugural showdown in 1987 and the Golden Eagles also registering a 55-7 triumph back in 2002.
The crowds from those two games represent the fourth and seventh largest crowds in stadium history as the 2002 meeting saw 35,169 come through the turnstiles, while the 1987 matchup saw 33,687 show up at The Rock. Both meetings marked the largest crowds in stadium history at the time of those contests.
Another big crowd is expected on Saturday as the Golden Eagles return 43 letterwinners from a season ago, including four starters on both offense and defense.
Junior college transfer and sophomore Jack Abraham (Oxford, Miss.) is expected to get the start for the Golden Eagles. He will be the fifth quarterback to start a season since the 2012 season. Abraham threw for 2,949 yards and 23 touchdowns with only eight interceptions last season at Northwest (Miss.) Community College.
The Golden Eagles are 64-36 in season openers - the 1916 opener versus Poplarville High School was note recorded – and are 42-8 at home when the season has started in Hattiesburg.
Tickets still remain for the game and can be purchased Saturday at the Pat Ferlise Ticket Center from 11-2:30 p.m. and at the Stadium box office on the southwest side beginning at 3 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased online at SouthernMissTickets.com.
The game can be seen via ESPN+ or heard via an affiliate on the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network.
The Golden Eagles, who collected their second-straight winning season as well as reaching a bowl game for the second consecutive year on the strength of an 8-5 record in 2017, look to vie for the Conference USA championship in the third year of the Jay Hopson era.
The two schools renew their rivalry that has had two previous meetings, with Southern Miss winning 17-7 in the inaugural showdown in 1987 and the Golden Eagles also registering a 55-7 triumph back in 2002.
The crowds from those two games represent the fourth and seventh largest crowds in stadium history as the 2002 meeting saw 35,169 come through the turnstiles, while the 1987 matchup saw 33,687 show up at The Rock. Both meetings marked the largest crowds in stadium history at the time of those contests.
Another big crowd is expected on Saturday as the Golden Eagles return 43 letterwinners from a season ago, including four starters on both offense and defense.
Junior college transfer and sophomore Jack Abraham (Oxford, Miss.) is expected to get the start for the Golden Eagles. He will be the fifth quarterback to start a season since the 2012 season. Abraham threw for 2,949 yards and 23 touchdowns with only eight interceptions last season at Northwest (Miss.) Community College.
The Golden Eagles are 64-36 in season openers - the 1916 opener versus Poplarville High School was note recorded – and are 42-8 at home when the season has started in Hattiesburg.
Tickets still remain for the game and can be purchased Saturday at the Pat Ferlise Ticket Center from 11-2:30 p.m. and at the Stadium box office on the southwest side beginning at 3 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased online at SouthernMissTickets.com.
Players Mentioned
QB
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