Golden Eagles Fall to UConn 48-20 in First Meeting Between Schools

Saturday, September 19

Hattiesburg, Miss.

6 p.m.

Southern Miss

1-2 , 0-0

UConn

2-1 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
UConn	14	13	14	7	48
Southern Miss	3	3	7	7	20

Game Book

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles wide receiver Mj Johnson (3) runs down the sideline after the catch in a NCAA game between Southern Miss Golden Eagles and UConn Huskies at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Renasant Stadium. September 19, 2026 (Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com)

Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com

Golden Eagles Fall to UConn 48-20 in First Meeting Between Schools

9/19/2026 10:40:00 PM | Football

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss showed flashes of offensive promise but ultimately fell 48-20 to UConn on a sweltering Saturday night at Renasant Stadium, as the Golden Eagles struggled to keep pace with the Huskies' balanced attack.

Despite the final score, Southern Miss (1-2) found bright spots on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Landry Lyddy came off the bench to throw for 194 yards and a touchdown, connecting with nine different receivers. His 10-yard scoring strike to Jaylen Himes in the closing seconds capped an 80-yard drive, giving the home crowd of 23,025 something to cheer about late.

Running back Steven Robinson led the ground game with 72 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, including a 13-yard burst that set up his own 1-yard score in the third quarter. Mario Sanders paced the receivers with seven catches for 81 yards, highlighted by a 56-yard catch-and-run that set up a Southern Miss touchdown.

The Golden Eagles' defense, led by Michael Robinson III's 10 tackles, forced UConn into several third-and-long situations but struggled to contain the Huskies' big plays. UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns, while Cyncir Bowers broke free for a 42-yard rushing score.

Southern Miss kicker Creighton Wilbanks was perfect on the night, drilling field goals from 47 and 34 yards to keep the Eagles within striking distance early. However, a pair of costly interceptions — including a pick-six by UConn's Anas Luqman — and missed opportunities on fourth down proved too much to overcome.

The Golden Eagles finished with 401 yards of total offense, nearly matching UConn's 436, but were outscored 27-6 in the first half and never fully recovered. Southern Miss converted just 5 of 15 third downs and went 0-for-3 on fourth down attempts.