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Ethan Hampton – Ready for Next Big Challenge at Auburn This Weekend
9/11/2026 9:00:00 AM | Football
By Tim Doherty, Special to SouthernMiss.com
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- When it comes to stepping into some of college football's largest arenas, University of Southern Mississippi quarterback Ethan Hampton has been there, done that.
Hampton was the starting quarterback when Northern Illinois University went into South Bend, Ind., and handed Notre Dame University its lone defeat of the regular season in 2024.
And as the backup QB at the University of Illinois last fall, Hampton also got a firsthand look during the Illini's tour of Big Ten Conference stadiums.
"Obviously, the most famous one is Notre Dame, when we beat them there," Hampton said. "But (if) you look out at my tenure at NIU, we played at Kentucky when I was 19. Boston College. Vanderbilt. Michigan.
"Those big stadiums, playing at those, kind of settles you in. And then last year, playing in (a) Power Five (conference), I experienced it every week, so it's not anything new to me."
Hampton will be at the offense's helm when the Golden Eagles (1-0) take to the road for the first time in the 2026 season and pay a visit to the school situated in the loveliest village on the plain, Auburn University.
Kickoff with the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium is set for 6:45 p.m. Saturday. The game can be seen on the SEC Network, as well as heard on an affiliate of the Southern Miss Sports Network and through SouthernMiss.com.
Auburn (1-0) came away with a 17-16 victory over visiting Baylor University this past Saturday when it stopped a potential, game-winning two-point conversion by the Bears at the goal line in the game's final 10 seconds.
Hampton, the 6-foot-3, 220 lb., product of Elburn, Ill., said he and his teammates realize the atmosphere will be more revved up playing at the 88,000-plus stadium, but they intend to approach the contest with same attitude adopted in a season-opening 49-3 home victory last week over Alcorn State University.
"It's the same game you're out there practicing, right," Hampton said. "If you're playing in front of no one or playing in front of 100,000, it's the same game, and you've got to go out and perform and execute the details.
"Don't let the noise get the best of you in the moment because you only get one of these a year. So, make the most of the moment and prepare for it like you've never prepared before."
Hampton, a graduate student who is using his final year of eligibility with the Golden Eagles, shook off a somewhat slow start this past Saturday before shifting USM's offense into high gear.
Hampton completed just five of his first 12 passes against the Braves, before hitting on six of his next eight attempts in the first half. He wrapped up his first start for USM by completing another two of three throws before departing in the third quarter.
"Sometimes that happens, you start slow, and, obviously, that's not what you want," Hampton said. "But it's all about how you come back from it."
Before ending his afternoon at Renasant Stadium, Hampton finished with 13 completions in 23 attempts, connecting on 56.5 percent of his passes for 180 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
He also averaged 5 yards a pop on three carries.
"It was fun getting back out there, getting my feet wet again a little bit," Hampton said. "The speed of the game (got) me a little bit at practice, but by the game, I was pretty well caught up.
"Now, as every week goes on, we'll get better."
Hampton's debut in black and gold marked his sixth season under center in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
He spent four years at the university in his backyard, NIU, appearing in just two games as a true freshman to earn a redshirt for the season.
The following year. Hampton started three games and threw for 798 yards and seven touchdowns for the Huskies before an injury ended his 2022 season.
That led to another redshirt, this one medical, and he returned in 2023 to appear in in four games, throwing for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
Hampton returned to the starting lineup in 2024, starting 10 games. He threw for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns, including 198 yards and a score in NIU's history-making victory over the Fighting Irish.
In 2025, Hampton transferred to Illinois, and appeared in four games in a backup role, attempting just four passes in his lone season in Champagne, Ill.
With one more year of eligibility, Hampton decided to cast his lot elsewhere, seeking an opportunity that might offer a better opportunity to play more often.
"Actually, my head coach at Illinois, Coach (Bret) Bielema, he knows Coach (Blake) Anderson, and he told me, 'Hey, this guy's worth checking out,' because I got in the portal later than most," Hampton said. "A lot of schools had already taken guys, but, luckily, Southern Miss was still open."
Hampton said it didn't take long to make up his mind.
"They said, 'We love what you're about, we love your film, and we want to get you down here,'" Hampton said. "So, a couple of days later, I flew down, spent the day here, and it was home.
"I ended up committing the next day."
Hampton said he was sold on the style of USM's offense.
"(Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Kyle) Cefalo's offense was really the selling point for me," Hampton said. "They really throw it around.
"At NIU, if I played a whole game, I threw it, maybe, 25 times because it's more prostyle there. Here, I played two drives in the second half (against ASU) and I threw it 23 (times) I think it was. So, I wanted to spend my last year somewhere I could have a good impact on a team and throw the ball around a little bit."
After competing for the starting job in the spring, Hampton was solidly in the mix this summer before seeing his reps curtailed when he banged up his hand during a scrimmage.
But Hampton overcame that hurdle over the final weeks of practice leading into the season opener, just as he had overcome some of the unique challenges posed by a Mississippi summer.
"I went to talk up to my family after the game, and they're all Northerners coming down, and I said, 'You know, it wasn't too hot out there (Saturday), and they looked at me like I was crazy,'" Hampton said. "I've gotten used to it, adjusted to the Southern heat now, I like to think."
Not only is Hampton focused on his final college football season on the field, but also in the classroom, where he said he will add a master's degree in business to the bachelor's in management and marketing he earned in 2024 from NIU.
"I like to take academics very seriously," Hampton said. "Football's not forever, and I know that, and I want to do as much free schooling as I can to set me up for life.
"That's the goal, and I've spent six years doing it so far."
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- When it comes to stepping into some of college football's largest arenas, University of Southern Mississippi quarterback Ethan Hampton has been there, done that.
Hampton was the starting quarterback when Northern Illinois University went into South Bend, Ind., and handed Notre Dame University its lone defeat of the regular season in 2024.
And as the backup QB at the University of Illinois last fall, Hampton also got a firsthand look during the Illini's tour of Big Ten Conference stadiums.
"Obviously, the most famous one is Notre Dame, when we beat them there," Hampton said. "But (if) you look out at my tenure at NIU, we played at Kentucky when I was 19. Boston College. Vanderbilt. Michigan.
"Those big stadiums, playing at those, kind of settles you in. And then last year, playing in (a) Power Five (conference), I experienced it every week, so it's not anything new to me."
Hampton will be at the offense's helm when the Golden Eagles (1-0) take to the road for the first time in the 2026 season and pay a visit to the school situated in the loveliest village on the plain, Auburn University.
Kickoff with the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium is set for 6:45 p.m. Saturday. The game can be seen on the SEC Network, as well as heard on an affiliate of the Southern Miss Sports Network and through SouthernMiss.com.
Auburn (1-0) came away with a 17-16 victory over visiting Baylor University this past Saturday when it stopped a potential, game-winning two-point conversion by the Bears at the goal line in the game's final 10 seconds.
Hampton, the 6-foot-3, 220 lb., product of Elburn, Ill., said he and his teammates realize the atmosphere will be more revved up playing at the 88,000-plus stadium, but they intend to approach the contest with same attitude adopted in a season-opening 49-3 home victory last week over Alcorn State University.
"It's the same game you're out there practicing, right," Hampton said. "If you're playing in front of no one or playing in front of 100,000, it's the same game, and you've got to go out and perform and execute the details.
"Don't let the noise get the best of you in the moment because you only get one of these a year. So, make the most of the moment and prepare for it like you've never prepared before."
Hampton, a graduate student who is using his final year of eligibility with the Golden Eagles, shook off a somewhat slow start this past Saturday before shifting USM's offense into high gear.
Hampton completed just five of his first 12 passes against the Braves, before hitting on six of his next eight attempts in the first half. He wrapped up his first start for USM by completing another two of three throws before departing in the third quarter.
"Sometimes that happens, you start slow, and, obviously, that's not what you want," Hampton said. "But it's all about how you come back from it."
Before ending his afternoon at Renasant Stadium, Hampton finished with 13 completions in 23 attempts, connecting on 56.5 percent of his passes for 180 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
He also averaged 5 yards a pop on three carries.
"It was fun getting back out there, getting my feet wet again a little bit," Hampton said. "The speed of the game (got) me a little bit at practice, but by the game, I was pretty well caught up.
"Now, as every week goes on, we'll get better."
Hampton's debut in black and gold marked his sixth season under center in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
He spent four years at the university in his backyard, NIU, appearing in just two games as a true freshman to earn a redshirt for the season.
The following year. Hampton started three games and threw for 798 yards and seven touchdowns for the Huskies before an injury ended his 2022 season.
That led to another redshirt, this one medical, and he returned in 2023 to appear in in four games, throwing for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
Hampton returned to the starting lineup in 2024, starting 10 games. He threw for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns, including 198 yards and a score in NIU's history-making victory over the Fighting Irish.
In 2025, Hampton transferred to Illinois, and appeared in four games in a backup role, attempting just four passes in his lone season in Champagne, Ill.
With one more year of eligibility, Hampton decided to cast his lot elsewhere, seeking an opportunity that might offer a better opportunity to play more often.
"Actually, my head coach at Illinois, Coach (Bret) Bielema, he knows Coach (Blake) Anderson, and he told me, 'Hey, this guy's worth checking out,' because I got in the portal later than most," Hampton said. "A lot of schools had already taken guys, but, luckily, Southern Miss was still open."
Hampton said it didn't take long to make up his mind.
"They said, 'We love what you're about, we love your film, and we want to get you down here,'" Hampton said. "So, a couple of days later, I flew down, spent the day here, and it was home.
"I ended up committing the next day."
Hampton said he was sold on the style of USM's offense.
"(Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Kyle) Cefalo's offense was really the selling point for me," Hampton said. "They really throw it around.
"At NIU, if I played a whole game, I threw it, maybe, 25 times because it's more prostyle there. Here, I played two drives in the second half (against ASU) and I threw it 23 (times) I think it was. So, I wanted to spend my last year somewhere I could have a good impact on a team and throw the ball around a little bit."
After competing for the starting job in the spring, Hampton was solidly in the mix this summer before seeing his reps curtailed when he banged up his hand during a scrimmage.
But Hampton overcame that hurdle over the final weeks of practice leading into the season opener, just as he had overcome some of the unique challenges posed by a Mississippi summer.
"I went to talk up to my family after the game, and they're all Northerners coming down, and I said, 'You know, it wasn't too hot out there (Saturday), and they looked at me like I was crazy,'" Hampton said. "I've gotten used to it, adjusted to the Southern heat now, I like to think."
Not only is Hampton focused on his final college football season on the field, but also in the classroom, where he said he will add a master's degree in business to the bachelor's in management and marketing he earned in 2024 from NIU.
"I like to take academics very seriously," Hampton said. "Football's not forever, and I know that, and I want to do as much free schooling as I can to set me up for life.
"That's the goal, and I've spent six years doing it so far."
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