2000 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team

Last updated

2000 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
Mobile Alabama Bowl champion
Mobile Alabama Bowl, W 28–21 vs. TCU
Conference Conference USA
Record8–4 (4–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChris Klenakis (1st season)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack (2nd season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium M. M. Roberts Stadium
Seasons
  1999
2001  
2000 Conference USA football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Louisville $  6 1   9 3  
East Carolina  5 2   8 4  
Cincinnati  5 2   7 5  
Southern Miss  4 3   8 4  
UAB  3 3   7 4  
Tulane  3 4   6 5  
Memphis  2 5   4 7  
Houston  2 5   3 8  
Army  1 6   1 10  
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2000 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. They were a member of Conference USA.

Contents

For the second time in three years, the Golden Eagles earned a preseason top 25 ranking, coming in at No. 23. Despite a season-opening loss to 13th-ranked Tennessee, the Golden Eagles recovered, winning the next 6 games, with 5 of those wins coming by 21 or more points, including a 21–0 shutout over 15th-ranked Alabama. Following a near-upset on the road against Houston, Southern Miss was ranked 13th in that week's AP poll, the school's highest ranking in nearly 20 years, when they were ranked 9th during the 1981 season. The Golden Eagles win streak ended that week against eventual conference champions Louisville, and they would go onto lose two more games to finish the regular season with a 7–4 record, 4–3 in Conference USA play. Despite the late season struggles, the Golden Eagles earned a trip to the Mobile Alabama Bowl, where they defeated 13th-ranked TCU, 28–21.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 26:45 pmat No. 13 Tennessee *No. 22 ESPN L 16–19108,064 [1]
September 168:00 pmat No. 15 Alabama *No. 25 ESPN2 W 21–083,091 [2]
September 237:00 pmat Oklahoma State *No. 22W 28–641,205 [3]
September 302:30 pm Memphis No. 21 FSN W 24–330,658 [4]
October 76:00 pm South Florida *No. 17
  • M. M. Roberts Stadium
  • Hattiesburg, MS
W 41–726,559 [5]
October 1411:00 amat Tulane No. 16FSNW 56–2427,645 [6]
October 282:30 pmat Houston No. 14W 6–317,565 [7]
November 42:30 pm Louisville Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 13
  • M. M. Roberts Stadium
  • Hattiesburg, MS
FSNL 28–4931,667 [8]
November 112:30 pmat UAB No. 25
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
W 33–30 2OT25,000 [9]
November 1812:00 pmat Cincinnati No. 24L 24–2721,958 [10]
November 2412:30 pm East Carolina
  • M. M. Roberts Stadium
  • Hattiesburg, MS
FSNL 9–1425,152 [11]
December 207:00 pmvs. No. 13 TCU *ESPN2W 28–2140,300 [12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Roster

2000 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
G 73 Jeremy Bridges So
QB 17 Jeff Kelly Jr
RB 43 Derrick Nix Jr
G 76 Torrin Tucker Fr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 5 Greg Brooks Fr
LB 24 Rod Davis Fr
DT 98 John Nix Sr
CB 28 Etric Pruitt Fr
DE 96 Cedric Scott Sr
DT 78 DeQuincy Scott Jr
DT 90 Daleroy Stewart Sr
CB 19 Raymond Walls Sr
S 9 Chad Williams Jr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Dave WommackAssistant head coach / defensive coordinator

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415Final
AP 23222525222117161514132524
Coaches Poll 252424232118161514112220
BCS Not released14Not released

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Miss Golden Eagles football</span> Football team of the University of Southern Mississippi

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They play college football in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are currently members of the Sun Belt Conference and play their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

The 1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 1996–97 college football season, competing in the Western Division in the Southeastern Conference. Gene Stallings led the Crimson Tide to a 10–3 record in his final year with the program. The team played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

The 1990 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Curley Hallman, the team compiled an 8–4 record and lost the 1990 All-American Bowl. The Golden Eagles had one of the biggest upsets of the college football season when they beat the Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 27–24. Another upset followed later in the season when the Golden Eagles beat the Auburn Tigers by a score of 13–12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team</span> American college football season

The 2002 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. They were a member of Conference USA.

The 2001 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. They were a member of Conference USA.

The 1969 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The Rebels were led by 23rd-year head coach Johnny Vaught and played their home games at Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson. The team competed as members of the Southeastern Conference, finishing in fifth. Ole Miss ended the year with five straight victories, including three over top ten-ranked opponents. In their 13th straight bowl appearance, Ole Miss defeated then-No. 3 Arkansas in the 1970 Sugar Bowl. They were ranked 8th in the final AP Poll, conducted after bowl season, and 13th in the Coaches Poll, which was conducted before bowl season.

The 1999 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. They secured their third Conference USA conference championship after finishing 6–0 in conference play. Their overall record was 9–3, and they were invited to play in the 1999 Liberty Bowl, where they defeated Colorado State, 23–17. In the final AP Poll of the year, the Golden Eagles were ranked 14th, which is to date the highest finish in school history.

The 1998 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by ninth-year head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. Following a successful 1997 season, the Golden Eagles were ranked in the preseason for the first time in school history, 21st in both polls. However, they were unable to replicate the previous season's success, losing their opening two games to ranked opponents and started 1–3. They finished with an overall record of 7–5, finishing second in Conference USA. They were invited to the 1998 Humanitarian Bowl, where they lost to Idaho, 35–42.

The 1997 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by eighth-year head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. In their second year in the Conference USA, they claimed their second-straight conference championship with a 6–0 C-USA record and a 9–3 record overall. They were invited to the 1997 Liberty Bowl, where they defeated Pittsburgh, 41–7. In the final AP and Coaches Polls of the season, the Golden Eagles were ranked 19th, which was the first ranked finish in school history.

The 1996 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by seventh-year head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. In the inaugural season of Conference USA, Southern Miss claimed a share of the conference championship with Houston after finishing 4–1 in conference, and 8–3 overall.

The 1980 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth year under head coach Bobby Collins, the team compiled a 9–3 record.

The 1979 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth year under head coach Bobby Collins, the team compiled a 6–4–1 record.

The 1982 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 7–4 record.

The 1983 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 7–4 record.

The 1984 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 4–7 record.

The 1985 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fourth year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 7–4 record.

The 1986 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 6–5 record.

The 1987 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their sixth year under head coach Jim Carmody, the team compiled a 6–5 record.

The 1988 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Curley Hallman, the team compiled a 10–2 record and won the 1988 Independence Bowl.

The 1993 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team was an American football team that represented the University of Southern Mississippi as an independent during the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Jeff Bower, the team compiled a 3–7–1 record.

References

  1. "Tennessee gets past Southern Miss 19–16". The Courier-Journal. September 3, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Tide not ready for prime time". The Montgomery Advertiser. September 17, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Southern fried". The Daily Oklahoman. September 24, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Eagles 'Rock' on". Hattiesburg American. October 1, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Kelly has hand in 5 TDs as No. 17 USM rolls 41–7". The Clarion-Ledger. October 8, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "USM pounds Green Wave". Daily World. October 15, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Hand it to the defense, Southern Miss hangs on to beat Houston". Hattiesburg American. October 29, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Cards in Happysburg". The Courier-Journal. November 5, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "USM escapes with 33–30 win". Enterprise-Journal. November 12, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Bearcats bowl over So. Miss". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 19, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Eagles finish with splat". The Clarion-Ledger. November 25, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Southern Miss at the buzzer 28–21". The Clarksdale Press Register. December 21, 2000. Retrieved September 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com.