Southern Miss travels to Monroe for last chance of securing bowl eligibility

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Southern Miss Golden Eagles (5-6) are set to travel to the University of Louisiana-Monroe (4-7) in hopes of securing bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019 and for the first time in the Will Hall era.

Before the start of the season, the thought of a bowl game would have arguably been an afterthought. However, Coach Hall has stabilized the Southern Miss program in his second year at the helm, successfully setting up his Golden Eagles for a chance at bowl eligibility.

The ULM Warhawks are no slouch, despite what their record implies. Southern Miss will need to be prepared for a battle against the rebuilding program.

“We have a really good opponent this week in Louisiana-Monroe,” Coach Hall said. “They’re a lot like us - a whole lot better than last year. They’ve played a lot of close games. It will be a tremendous challenge for us on the road.”

A win Saturday would be another great stride in rebuilding the program and a great send-off for the seniors that stayed. For Coach Hall, a Mississippi native who bleeds black and gold, he is solely focused on bringing pride back to the Hattiesburg area.

“For me, it’s more about these kids on this team, especially the ones that have been here and stayed, and the fanbase,” Coach Hall stated. “I love Southern Miss. I love Mississippi. This place means so much to me and in so many ways... In year two, for what we inherited, if we could get to a bowl game, that would be a huge deal for our fans and also for our kids. I feel like these kids deserve it and I hope we can get it done.”

Southern Miss will face ULM on Saturday at Malone Stadium. Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. The contest will be aired on ESPN Plus.

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