BREAKING: 4 Games to Determine Will Hall’s Fate with Southern Miss Football

August 17, 2024 Michael Mills College Football 0

Southern Miss football is eager to return to bowl eligibility.

As Year 4 of the Will Hall era begins, the team has only made one bowl appearance in 2022, alongside two disappointing 3-9 seasons, leaving Hall with a record of 13-24.

The 2024 schedule is well-structured, featuring three balanced four-game segments with open weeks in Week 5 and Week 10. Each segment includes two home and two away games. The Golden Eagles will host Southeastern Louisiana on September 7 and South Florida on September 14 before alternating between home and away games for the rest of the season.

The campaign kicks off at Kentucky on August 31 (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).

Here are four crucial matchups that could impact Southern Miss’ chances of reaching a bowl game, starting with two important nonconference contests in September.

Sept. 14 vs. South Florida
Southern Miss’ Week 3 home matchup against South Florida could serve as a key indicator of the team’s standing in the 2024 season. The Bulls are no easy opponent, having finished 7-6 in coach Alex Golesh’s first year, which included a 45-0 victory over Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. USF boasts a skilled quarterback, Byrum Brown, who passed for 3,292 yards and also led the team with 809 rushing yards last season.

A loss in this game could leave Southern Miss at 1-2, heading into a challenging nonconference road game against Jacksonville State.

Sept. 21 at Jacksonville State
The following week presents another tough matchup against Jacksonville State, which won nine games in its inaugural FBS season. Coach Rich Rodriguez, in his third year, has led the team to a strong 50-12 home record over the last decade.

Southern Miss may be able to afford a win in either the USF or Jacksonville State games, but dropping both could pose significant challenges.

Nov. 9 vs. Marshall
After its second bye week, Southern Miss will host Marshall. Assuming the season hasn’t gone drastically wrong, the team should still be in the running for a bowl game with four games left.

Beginning this crucial phase of the season with a victory over Marshall could be vital, especially with a tough road game against Texas State, a top contender in the West Division, coming up next.

Nov. 23 vs. South Alabama
South Alabama is one of three teams in the Sun Belt West with a new coach after Kane Wommack departed to become Alabama’s defensive coordinator. The team has also lost some of its key offensive players, making it challenging to gauge their strength in 2024.

This game marks Southern Miss’ final home appearance before concluding the regular season at Troy. Securing a bowl berth before this matchup would relieve a lot of pressure, especially against a motivated team under new coach Gerad Parker, which may also be vying for a bowl game. Additionally, it would be a compelling narrative if Southern Miss could bounce back from last season’s heavy 55-3 defeat to South Alabama with a bowl-clinching victory.

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