Southern Miss
1-4 , 0-2
Texas State
4-1 , 1-0
Second-Half Comeback Falls Short Against Texas State
9/30/2023 11:27:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Ismail Mahdi returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and added three rushing touchdowns to highlight Texas State's 50-36 Sun Belt Conference victory over Southern Miss Saturday night at M.M. Roberts Stadium..
Mahdi nearly had a fifth touchdown on a bizarre play in the third quarter. Bobcats quarterback TJ Finley was about to be sacked deep in Texas State territory but managed to flip the ball forward to Mahdi who took off down the sideline. As he approached the end zone, Southern Miss defensive back Jay Stanley knocked the ball loose and it bounced out of bounds in the end zone. The play was first ruled a touchdown, but the call was reversed and Mahdi was left with a 90-yard reception and a fumble for a touchback.
Texas State led 42-16 at the time but the Golden Eagles rallied, scoring touchdowns on their next three possessions for a 42-36 deficit. The Bobcats, who scored 42 points in the first half, finally got on the board again with a 14-yard run by Malik Hornsby with 1:39 left in the game. It was only a 3-play, 18-yard drive after the Bobcats stopped the Golden Eagles on downs.
Finley completed 19 of 24 passes for 339 yards with two touchdowns for Texas State (4-1, 1-0 Sun Belt). Mahdi had 89 yards rushing, 90 yards receiving and 117 yards in kick returns. Joey Hobert had 126 yards on 10 receptions and Ashtyn Hawkins caught five for 101 yards.
Billy Wiles went 21-for-45 for 275 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Southern Miss (1-4, 0-2). Frank Gore Jr. had two touchdowns and 123 rushing yards and Latreal Jones had six receptions for 124 yards.
For Gore, it was his 10th 100-yard rushing game, which puts him in sixth place by himself on the school charts, while Jones added his first 100-yard receiving game. Wiles' passing total also was a season-high for the first-year Golden Eagles quarterback.
Team Stats
TXS 7, USM 0
TXS - Mahdi,Ismail 100 yd kickoff return (Shipley,Mason kick)
TXS 14, USM 0
TXS - Wilson,Kole 5 yd pass from Finley,TJ (Shipley,Mason kick) 6 plays, 21 yards, TOP 02:46
TXS 21, USM 0
TXS - Mahdi,Ismail 3 yd run (Shipley,Mason kick), 7 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:37
TXS 21, USM 3
USM - Stein,Andrew 38 yd field goal 9 plays, 58 yards, TOP 05:35
TXS 28, USM 3
TXS - Hobert,Joey 5 yd pass from Finley,TJ (Shipley,Mason kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:37
TXS 28, USM 10
USM - Gore,Frank 1 yd run (Stein,Andrew kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:26
TXS 35, USM 10
TXS - Mahdi,Ismail 23 yd run (Shipley,Mason kick), 4 plays, 84 yards, TOP 01:28
TXS 42, USM 10
TXS - Mahdi,Ismail 8 yd run (Shipley,Mason kick), 7 plays, 64 yards, TOP 03:09
TXS 42, USM 16
USM - Mims,Tiaquelin 11 yd pass from Wiles,Billy () 5 plays, 57 yards, TOP 02:24
TXS 42, USM 23
USM - Caston,Jakarius 8 yd pass from Wiles,Billy (Stein,Andrew kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 04:51
TXS 42, USM 29
USM - Wiles,Billy 4 yd run (), 3 plays, 33 yards, TOP 01:23
TXS 42, USM 36
USM - Gore,Frank 1 yd run (Stein,Andrew kick), 5 plays, 73 yards, TOP 02:04
TXS 50, USM 36
TXS - Hornsby,Malik 14 yd run (Donley,Drew pass), 3 plays, 18 yards, TOP 00:18
