2017 Southern Miss Football Game 13 | Walk-On’s Independence Bowl Southern Miss (8-4, 6-2 C-USA) vs. Florida State (6-6, 3-5 ACC) Shreveport, La. | Independence Stadium (48,975) 12:30 p.m. CT @USMGoldenEagles | @SouthernMissFB | @CoachHopson
The Game at a Glance
Noting the Golden Eagles
Date __________________Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 Time ___________________________ 12:30 p.m. (CT) Location _________________________Shreveport, La. Stadium __________________________ Independence Capacity ______________________________48,975 Surface __________________ FieldTurf Duraspine Pro TV (webstream) __________________________ ESPN Play-By-Play ____________________ Dave LaMont Analyst ________________________ Ahmad Brooks Sidelines _________________________Roddy Jones Radio ___________ Southern Miss IMG Sports Network Play-By-Play ______________ John Cox (40th season) Analyst ________________ Lee Roberts (3rd season) Sidelines _____________ Dr. Bo Morgan (8th season) Stats/Spotter ___________ Joe Bryant (10th season) Gametracker _______________www.SouthernMiss.com Series Record __________________ FSU leads 13-8-1 Streak _________________________________ Lost 1 Last Meeting ____ L, 54-14, 11/16/96, in Tallahassee Websites ______________________ SouthernMiss.com __________________________ConferenceUSA.com ______________________________ Seminoles.com ________________________________ TheACC.com
2017 Southern Miss Schedule Sept. 2 Sept. 9 Sept. 16 Sept. 30 Oct. 7 Oct. 14 Oct. 21 Oct. 28 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Dec. 27
Kentucky (CBS SN) Southern (Stadium) at ULM (ESPN3) North Texas • at UTSA • (Stadium on Facebook) UTEP • (Stadium/Homecoming) at Louisiana Tech • (Stadium) UAB • at Tennessee (SEC) at Rice • (Stadium on Facebook) Charlotte • at Marshall • (Stadium) vs. Florida State (ESPN)
L, 24-17 W, 45-0 W, 28-17 L, 43-28 W, 31-29 W, 24-0 W, 34-27 (2 OT) L, 30-12 L, 24-10 W, 43-34 W, 66-21 W, 28-27 12:30 pm
• – C-USA contest; All Times Central
• Southern Miss began its second century of football in 2017, having competed for the first time in 1912. The Golden Eagles are 588-419-27, which is the 39th best among Division I FBS teams by winning percentage (.582). • Jay Hopson, the 21st head coach to guide the program at Southern Miss, is in his second season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program. Heading into the bowl contest, Hopson is tied for most victories by a Southern Miss head coach over his first two seasons with 15. Curley Hallman also registered that win total in 1987 and 1988. • Hopson collected a 7-6 record in his initial season and led Southern Miss to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, capturing a 28-21 decision over UL Lafayette. Hopson coached under the legendary Jeff Bower twice at Southern Miss, working as an assistant coach from 2001-03 and from 2005-07. • The Golden Eagles play in their third consecutive bowl game this month and their 25th overall, posting an 11-13 all-time record in postseason contests. • The Golden Eagles clinched their 17th winning season over the last 22 years and 70th overall in 101 years of football with its 66-21 victory over Charlotte. It is also the team’s third consecutive year of seven or more wins and twice in the last three with at least eight triumphs.
Against Power 5 Schools in the Postseason Since 2015 Bowl Season • Since the 2015 bowl season, Southern Miss is the only Conference USA member institution to have played a bowl game against a Power Five conference school, facing two in the last three years. • Of the 16 games scheduled (seven in 2015, four in 2016 and five in 2017) during the last three bowl seasons between a Power 5 and Group 5 school, Southern Miss is one of three Group 5 schools to play two Power 5 opponents, along with Navy and Memphis. • Southern Miss dropped a 44-31 decision to Washington in the 2015 Heart of Dallas Bowl.
The Florida State Series • The Golden Eagles and Seminoles meet for the 23rd time overall and first time since 1996 in a series that dates back to the 1952 season. • FSU leads the series 13-8-1 and won the last meeting 54-14 in Tallahassee on Nov. 16, 1996. (for a complete breakdown of the series, please go to page 4 of the notes) • This will be the first postseason bowl contest between the two schools and the fifth neutral site venue, as the two teams have played three times in Mobile and once in Jacksonville, Fla., in which the Golden Eagles upset the Top 10 Seminoles 30-26 at the then Gator Bowl in 1989 with a late touchdown from Brett Favre to Anthony Harris. • The teams played every season from 1952-57 for the longest consecutive playing string in the series. • Both schools were member of the Metro Conference, Southern Miss from 1982-95 and Florida State from 1976-91, although the league did not offer football as one of its sports.
2017 Florida State Schedule Sept. 2 Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 7 Oct. 14 Oct. 21 Oct. 27 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Nov. 25 Dec. 2 Dec. 27
vs. Alabama (ABC) NC State • (ABC/ESPN2) at Wake Forest • (ABC) Miami • (ESPN) at Duke • (ESPN2) Louisville • (ESPN) at Boston College • (ESPN) Syracuse • (ACC) at Clemson • (ESPN) Delaware State (RSN) at Florida (ESPN) ULM (ACC) vs. Southern Miss (ESPN)
• – ACC contest; All Times Central
L, 24-7 L, 27-21 W, 26-19 L, 24-20 W, 17-10 L, 31-28 L, 35-3 W, 27-24 L, 31-14 W, 77-6 W, 38-22 W, 42-10 12:30 pm
The Connections with Florida State • Two USM coaches and their wives have connections to FSU. Defensive Coordinator Tony Pecoraro served as a student coach in 2002-03 at FSU and then was a Defensive Quality Control Coach for the Seminoles from 2007-09. His wife, the former Tania Fernandez, served as a women’s basketball manager there during her undergraduate days. She also worked in the FSU Sports Information Office as a graduate assistant. Defensive line coach Derek Nicholson lettered for the Seminoles from 2005-08 as a linebacker. His wife, the former Onnie Trusty, played on the FSU women’s soccer team. • Current offensive line coach Erik Losey served as the offensive line quality control assistant in 2009 and 2010 seasons. • Dan Disch graduated from FSU in 1981. • Current offensive graduate assistant Bryan Stork played center for the Seminoles from 2009-13. • Senior wide receiver Isaiah Jones played for the Seminoles in 2013-14.