Southern Miss put up a strong start but couldn’t maintain momentum, falling to South Alabama 35-14 on Senior Day in their final home game of the season.
The Golden Eagles offense looked sharp early, with Dreke Clark having one of his best games of the season, totaling 115 yards on 12 carries. However, as the offense stalled, the defense began to crumble, allowing the visiting team to pull away.
“It’s tough, but it’s insane, just because it’s going to be a new chapter for all the seniors,” Clark said. “We have one more game, and we’re just trying to finish this season strong.”
With starting quarterback Ethan Crawford sidelined, Tate Rodemaker showed signs of improvement, going 15-for-27 for 108 passing yards and one touchdown. The touchdown came in the first quarter when Rodemaker rolled right and threw back across the middle to find Davis Dalton.
“I was happy with the way we came out in this game,” said head coach Reed Stringer. “I thought our guys played with a lot of passion. They were excited to be in this game where we could have done some things to put us in a position to win, and that’s the ultimate goal.”
Kicker Connor Gibbs also made history with a 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half, marking the second-longest kick in Southern Miss history.
“That’s a big accomplishment for me, and, just going into that kick, I had a great warm up and was confident,” Gibbs said. “I am thankful to the coaches for letting me have that chance to kick that.”
On defense, senior Brodarius Lewis led the way with his best performance of the season, tallying seven total tackles and two sacks. Lewis reflected on the leadership of the senior class amid a challenging season.
“It says a lot for the guys who have done so much for this program, for the guys who stepped up, that they took leadership,” Lewis said. “It means a lot to us.”
Southern Miss now turns its attention to its final game of the season against Troy.
“You play football because you love the game, and it doesn’t matter if you are playing for a conference championship or playing to get bowl eligible, or you’re playing for pride,” Stringer said. “That’s what we are doing right now. We’re playing for pride.”
Southern Miss Falls to USA on Senior Day
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