North Texas vs. Southern Miss Preview

Harry · September 29, 2017

Southern Miss has some of the most rabid fans in college football, and are frequently in Twitter conversation with this very site, on how their team is doing, our coverage of said team, and what they think we’re getting right or wrong about the Golden Eagles. This is a storied team that’s been playing football for 105 years, and up until a few recent dark years, they’ve been a southern mid-major power for decades. Their Wikipedia page lists nearly 100 USM alums who have gone on to play in the NFL, AFL, or AAFC.

Coming into this game with a very different history is North Texas. The Mean Green (once known as the Eagles) have been playing football for 104 years, but have never quite had the national press or recognition as Southern Miss. While USM was playing and beating teams now in the SEC and AAC, North Texas was languishing in the Sun Belt... where they won four consecutive conference titles. And lest you think UNT’s accomplishments are less than, remember the stat-line at the top of the page: Their all-time record is 6-5 in favor of Southern Miss, after North Texas beat them last year by a touchdown. With UNT’s second-string QB.

This is not to say that Southern Miss hasn’t improved or adjusted from 2016 to 2017. Quite the opposite. But North Texas has done the same and while one of these teams may have the more vocal fanbase, one team might have home field advantage, a higher-profile history, 82 more wins all-time, and Brett Favre as an alum, the match-ups between these two are FUN AS HELL.

Rivalries

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Known as the Rivalry in Dixie, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech first played in 1935 and played each season from 1946 until 1972. Today, the two schools compete as conference foes in Conference USA's West Division. Tech and USM also were conference foes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1935 to 1941. In addition, Tech and USM were both founding members of the Gulf States Conference which began play in 1948. The Bulldogs and Golden Eagles have played 11 times between 1975 and 1992. In 2008, Louisiana Tech AD-HC Derek Dooley and USM AD Richard Giannini signed a four-game contract to renew the rivalry with the first game being played in Ruston on September 25, 2010. The contract became unnecessary in 2012, when Louisiana Tech joined Southern Miss in Conference USA's West Division, which guarantees the schools will play each other every year.^[39]

**Southern Miss–Louisiana Tech: All-Time Record**
Games played	First meeting	Last meeting	USM wins	USM losses	Win %
47	November 28, 1935 (lost 0–27)	November 25, 2016 (won 39-24)	33	15	68.8%

Memphis Tigers

Known as the Black and Blue Bowl, the long-standing rivalry between Southern Miss and Memphis dates back to October 26, 1935.^[40] This yearly classic garnered its name from the intense competitive nature of the contest, as well as the competing schools' colors: the black of Southern Miss and the blue of Memphis. From 1995 to 2012, both teams were members of Conference USA in the Eastern Division. The series has been dormant since Memphis accepted an invitation to join the American Athletic Conference.^[41]

**Southern Miss–Memphis: All-Time Record**
Games played	First meeting	Last meeting	USM wins	USM losses	Ties	Win %
63	October 26, 1935 (won 12–0)	November 24, 2012 (loss 24–42)	40	22	1	64.3%

Tulane Green Wave

The Battle for the Bell is the name of the game between Southern Miss and Tulane. The two schools are located only about 110 miles from each other (Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Tulane in New Orleans, Louisiana) via Interstate 10 and Interstate 59, making for a heated game.

Beginning in 1979, The game was played annually until the reconfiguration of Conference USA in 2006 and is now played two out of four years as a cross-divisional conference match-up. The most recent game, a 46–30 victory by the Golden Eagles, was played in New Orleans in 2010. Southern Miss holds a 23–7 lead in the series.

The series' status after 2013 is unknown due to Tulane's move to the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2014.^[42]

**Southern Miss–Tulane: All-Time Record**
Games played	First meeting	Last meeting	USM wins	USM losses	Win %
30	October 13, 1979 (lost 19–20)	November 6, 2010 (won 46–30)	23	7	76.7%

East Carolina Pirates

The series between Southern Miss and East Carolina dates back to 1951 and effectively ended in 2014, when East Carolina left Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference.^[43] Southern Miss leads the series 27-12.^[44]

**Southern Miss–East Carolina: All-Time Record**
Games played	First meeting	Last meeting	USM wins	USM losses	Win %
39	September 15, 1951 (won 40-0)	September 29, 2013 (lost 14–55)	27	12	69.2%

Louisville Cardinals

The series between Southern Miss and Louisville dates back to 1949 and effectively ended in 2005, when Louisville left Conference USA for the Big East.^[45] Southern Miss leads the series 18-11-1.^[44]

**Southern Miss–Louisville: All-Time Record**
Games played	First meeting	Last meeting	USM wins	USM losses	ties	Win %
30	November 25, 1949 (won 26-21)	September 29, 2012 (lost 17–21)	18	11	1	60%

UAB Blazers

The series between Southern Miss and UAB was first played in 2000 as UAB joined Conference USA and became conference foes with Southern Miss. The rivalry is either played in Hattiesburg or Birmingham, Alabama. In total the two squads have met on the gridiron 15 times with Southern Miss holding a 10–5 lead in the series.^[46]