Southern Miss football plays spoiler, earns 34-31 overtime win over rival Louisiana
What’s one more year after three decades?
Southern Miss (3-7, 2-5) pushed rival Louisiana’s (5-5, 2-4) quest for bowl eligibility back another week with a 34-31 overtime win in Lafayette on Thursday.
Frank Gore Jr. plunged into the end zone from three yards out in the bottom half of the only overtime frame to secure an upset for a Golden Eagles team that entered the week a double-digit underdog.
Southern Miss used two goal-line stands and got a third-consecutive 100-yard rushing performance from Gore Jr. to earn its second win in a row after starting the season 1-7.
It’s the 11th straight win for USM over its Acadiana rival, which last beat the Eagles in 1993.
The Golden Eagles had a fourth-quarter touchdown lead disappear when the Ragin’ Cajuns scored a 51-yard touchdown and followed with a seven-yard score one play after a Gore Jr. fumble.
True freshman quarterback Ethan Crawford led a 10-play, 75-yard drive late in the quarter that ended with a nine-yard strike from Crawford to Jakarius Caston to tie the game.
“Whatever came our way, we had to be ready to throw a punch,” Gore Jr. told USM radio following the game.
Louisiana opened overtime with a field goal before a third-down defensive pass interference set up Gore Jr’s game-winning score.
It’s USM’s first win of the year in a game that was separated by one score or less in the fourth quarter after starting 0-4 in such games.
“Early in the year we played a lot of one score games and couldn’t find a way to win one,” Eagles coach Will Hall said. “We’ve been growing and learning... We never panicked. We just kept playing football all night long.”
Gore Jr. rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns on a career-high 33 carries and caught an 18-yard pass to score the Eagles’ first touchdown of the night in the second quarter.
Billy Wiles started the game at quarterback and threw for 99 yards and a score. The sophomore led two 80-plus yard touchdown drives in the first half. Crawford took the bulk of the snaps in the second half. He threw for 62 yards and his end zone connection with Caston represented Crawford’s first career touchdown pass.
“I think our future is really bright,” Hall said. “I think we’re building something that will last.”
Hall improved to 8-1 against teams from the state of Louisiana with the win.
Southern Miss gets a long break before hitting the road again to face in-state SEC foe Mississippi State on Nov. 18. That game will kick at 11 a.m. and be broadcast on ESPN+.
This story was originally published November 9, 2023 at 10:29 PM.
