# 2023 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team

The 2023 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by head coach Will Hall, who is coaching his third season with the team. The Golden Eagles played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team drew an average home attendance of 23,275 in 2023.

## Preseason
### Media poll

In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Golden Eagles were picked to finish in fourth place in the West division.
Media poll (West division) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Troy | 92 (10) |
| 2 | South Alabama | 85 (4) |
| 3 | Louisiana | 64 |
| 4 | Southern Miss | 62 |
| 5 | Texas State | 36 |
| 6 | Arkansas State | 33 |
| 7 | ULM | 20 |
Running back Frank Gore Jr., defensive back Jay Stanley, and all purpose back Frank Gore Jr. were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Defensive lineman Jalen Williams was named to the second team.

## Schedule

The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 6:00 p.m. | Alcorn State* | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS | ESPN+ | W 40–14 | 30,335 |
| September 9 | 7:30 p.m. | at No. 4 Florida State* | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | ACCN | L 13–66 | 74,467 |
| September 16 | 3:00 p.m. | Tulane* | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS (Battle for the Bell) | ESPNU | L 3–21 | 25,038 |
| September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | at Arkansas State | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN+ | L 37–44 | 16,601 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Texas State | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS | ESPN+ | L 36–50 | 21,304 |
| October 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Old Dominion | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS | ESPN+ | L 13–17 | 23,011 |
| October 17 | 6:30 p.m. | at South Alabama | Hancock Whitney StadiumMobile, AL | ESPN2 | L 3–55 | 23,478 |
| October 28 | 2:30 p.m. | at Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | L 38–48 | 32,601 |
| November 4 | 3:00 p.m. | Louisiana–Monroe | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS | ESPN+ | W 24–7 | 20,193 |
| November 9 | 6:30 p.m. | at Louisiana | Cajun FieldLafayette, LA | ESPNU | W 34–31 $^{OT}$ | 15,137 |
| November 18 | 11:00 a.m. | at Mississippi State* | Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, MS | ESPN+/SECN+ | L 20–41 | 53,855 |
| November 25 | 11:00 a.m. | Troy | M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS | ESPNU | L 17–35 | 19,766 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings released prior to gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Alcorn State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Braves | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Golden Eagles | 17 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 40 |
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
* Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 86 °F (30 °C) • Wind: E 4 mph
* Game attendance: 30,335
* Referee: Trennis Livingston
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
| Statistics | ALCN | USM |
| First downs | 8 | 25 |
| Total yards | 226 | 441 |
| Rushing yards | 182 | 145 |
| Passing yards | 44 | 296 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 21:43 | 38:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Alcorn State | Passing | Aaron Allen | 5/9, 44 yards |
| Alcorn State | Rushing | Tyler Macon | 4 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD |
| Alcorn State | Receiving | Malik Rodgers | 1 reception, 26 yards |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 21/28, 267 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Rodrigues Clark | 9 carries, 54 yards |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jakarius Caston | 5 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD |

### at No. 4 Florida State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| No. 4 Seminoles | 14 | 17 | 21 | 14 | 66 |
at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
* Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 74,467
* Referee: Tim Hedgepeth
* TV announcers (ACCN): Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Orlando Franklin (color)
| Statistics | USM | FSU |
| First downs | 18 | 26 |
| Total yards | 258 | 554 |
| Rushing yards | 104 | 306 |
| Passing yards | 154 | 248 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 27:27 | 32:33 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 11/34, 154 yards, 1 INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Rodrigues Clark | 15 carries, 86 yards, 1 TD |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Antavious Willis | 2 receptions, 35 yards |
| Florida State | Passing | Jordan Travis | 15/29, 175 yards, 2 TD |
| Florida State | Rushing | Trey Benson | 9 carries, 79 yards, 3 TD |
| Florida State | Receiving | Keon Coleman | 3 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD |

### Tulane

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Green Wave | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
* Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 92 °F (33 °C) • Wind: NW 12 mph
* Game attendance: 25,038
* Referee: Jeremy Parker
* TV announcers (ESPNU): Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (color)
| Statistics | TUL | USM |
| First downs | 18 | 14 |
| Total yards | 314 | 212 |
| Rushing yards | 128 | 35 |
| Passing yards | 186 | 177 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 28:23 | 31:37 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Tulane | Passing | Kai Horton | 12/19, 186 yards, 2 TD |
| Tulane | Rushing | Makhi Hughes | 13 carries, 83 yards |
| Tulane | Receiving | Lawrence Keys III | 4 receptions, 78 yards |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 19/33, 177 yards |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Rodrigues Clark | 5 carries, 17 yards |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jakarius Caston | 2 receptions, 54 yards |

### at Arkansas State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 37 |
| Red Wolves | 14 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 44 |
at Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR
* Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 16,601
* Referee: Scott Broadway
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
| Statistics | USM | ASU |
| First downs | 20 | 18 |
| Total yards | 449 | 425 |
| Rushing yards | 234 | 192 |
| Passing yards | 215 | 233 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:28 | 29:32 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 20/36, 215 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Frank Gore Jr. | 20 carries, 132 yards, 1 TD |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jakarius Caston | 4 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD |
| Arkansas State | Passing | Jaylen Raynor | 11/21, 233 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Arkansas State | Rushing | Jaylen Raynor | 17 carries, 97 yards, 2 TD |
| Arkansas State | Receiving | Courtney Jackson | 3 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TD |

### Texas State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bobcats | 28 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 50 |
| Golden Eagles | 3 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 36 |
at M. M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
* Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Clear, 87 °F (31 °C)
* Game attendance: 21,304
* Referee: Ted Pitts
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Jason Baker and Larry Boyd
* Box score, Recap
Statistics
| Statistics | TXST | USM |
| First downs | 22 | 28 |
| Total yards | 516 | 510 |
| Rushing yards | 178 | 235 |
| Passing yards | 338 | 275 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 23:22 | 36:38 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Texas State | Passing | T. J. Finley | 19/24, 338 yards, 2 TD |
| Texas State | Rushing | Ismail Mahdi | 14 rushes, 89 yards, 3 TD |
| Texas State | Receiving | Joey Hobert | 10 receptions, 126 yards, TD |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 21/44, 275 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Frank Gore Jr. | 24 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Latreal Jones | 6 receptions, 124 yards |

### Old Dominion

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Monarchs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
* Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: -
* Game attendance: 23,011
* Referee: -
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Old Dominion | Passing |
| Old Dominion | Rushing |
| Old Dominion | Receiving |
| Southern Miss | Passing |
| Southern Miss | Rushing |
| Southern Miss | Receiving |

### at South Alabama

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Southern Miss | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| South Alabama | 14 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 55 |
at Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, Alabama
* Date: Tuesday, October 17, 2023
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Clear, 53 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 23,478
* Referee: Trennis Livingston
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), Lauren Sisler (sideline)
| Statistics | USM | USA |
| First downs | 12 | 34 |
| Total yards | 56–149 | 75–647 |
| Rushing yards | 36–103 | 44–287 |
| Passing yards | 46 | 360 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 7–20–1 | 23–31–1 |
| Time of possession | 28:45 | 31:15 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Holman Edwards | 5/15, 41 yards, INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Kenyon Clay | 10 carries, 60 yards |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Frank Gore Jr. | 2 receptions, 22 yards |
| South Alabama | Passing | Carter Bradley | 21/27, 319 yards |
| South Alabama | Rushing | La'Damian Webb | 20 carries, 102 yards, 4 TD |
| South Alabama | Receiving | Jamaal Pricchett | 5 receptions, 122 yards |

### at Appalachian State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mountaineers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, NC
* Date: Saturday, October 28, 2023
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: -
* Game attendance: 32,601
* Referee: -
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Southern Miss | Passing |
| Southern Miss | Rushing |
| Southern Miss | Receiving |
| Appalachian State | Passing |
| Appalachian State | Rushing |
| Appalachian State | Receiving |

### Louisiana–Monroe

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Warhawks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
* Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: -
* Game attendance: 20,193
* Referee: -
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Passing |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Rushing |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Receiving |
| Southern Miss | Passing |
| Southern Miss | Rushing |
| Southern Miss | Receiving |

### at Louisiana

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| LA –7.5 | 52.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| Ragin' Cajuns | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
at Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA
* Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: SW 6 MPH
* Game attendance: 15,137
* Referee: Javarro Edwards
* TV announcers (ESPNU): Courtney Lyle (play-by-play) and Hutson Mason (analyst)
| Statistics | USM | ULL |
| First downs | 22 | 20 |
| Total yards | 390 | 390 |
| Rushing yards | 229 | 130 |
| Passing yards | 161 | 260 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–26–0 | 24–38–0 |
| Time of possession | 33:33 | 26:27 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 10/16, 105 yards, 1 TD |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Frank Gore Jr. | 33 carries, 158 yards, 2 TDs |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jakarius Caston | 3 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD |
| Louisiana | Passing | Chandler Fields | 24/38, 260 yards, 2 TDs |
| Louisiana | Rushing | Dre'lyn Washington | 12 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD |
| Louisiana | Receiving | Harvey Broussard | 5 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD |

### at Mississippi State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Southern Miss | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| Mississippi State | 3 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 41 |
at Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS
* Date: Saturday, November 18, 2023
* Game time: 11:00 AM CST
* Game weather: -
* Game attendance: 61,337
* Referee: -
* TV announcers (SECN+/ESPN+): TBD
| Statistics | USM | MSST |
| First downs | 10 | 18 |
| Total yards | 246 | 382 |
| Rushing yards | 105 | 238 |
| Passing yards | 141 | 144 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 11–21–1 | 12–27–0 |
| Time of possession | 31:42 | 28:18 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Billy Wiles | 9/16, 89 yards, TD, INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Frank Gore Jr. | 22 carries, 66 yards |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jakarius Caston | 2 receptions, 88 yards, TD |
| Mississippi State | Passing | Will Rogers | 12/27, 144 yards, 2 TD |
| Mississippi State | Rushing | Jeffery Pittman | 10 carries, 98 yards, TD |
| Mississippi State | Receiving | Zavion Thomas | 3 receptions, 66 yards |

### Troy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Trojans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Golden Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
* Date: Saturday, November 25, 2023
* Game time: TBA
* Game weather: -
* Game attendance: -
* Referee: -
* TV announcers (-): TBD
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Troy | Passing |
| Troy | Rushing |
| Troy | Receiving |
| Southern Miss | Passing |
| Southern Miss | Rushing |
| Southern Miss | Receiving |