Football: Early Edge Pays Off For USM in New Orleans Bowl

NEW ORLEANS – Southern Miss used a pair of quick-scoring drives to grab the lead early and managed to hold the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns in check in claiming a 28-21 win on Saturday in the 2016 R�L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
 
Ito Smith scored on a touchdown rush and pass on a pair of three-play drives by the Golden Eagles (7-6) that opened a 14-0 lead by the 7:17 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns defense settled in the remainder of the opening half keeping USM scoreless. A forced fumble by Tre’maine Lightfoot on a sack of Nick Mullens at 7:58 in the second quarter led to a 12-yard rushing touchdown from Dion Ray that brought Louisiana (6-7) into a 14-all tie.
 
Southern Miss recaptured the lead four minutes into the second half when Mullens connected with Allenzae Staggers for a five-yard touchdown pass at 10:42 of the third quarter.
 
Louisiana collected three first downs on the ensuing possession in an attempt to score an equalizer, but the Golden Eagles defense came up with a fourth down stop at the USM 32.
 
USM’s lead returned to two scores on a 14-play, 83-yard drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters. Smith ripped off runs of 24 and 13 yards to bring the Golden Eagles into a first-and-goal situation before plunging in from one yard out with 12:26 remaining to return the lead to two scores at 28-14.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns battled back once more, using a Travis Crawford 53-yard interception return to set up an Anthony Jennings touchdown rush with 5:05 left to play that trimmed the USM lead to 28-21.
 
The defense would return the ball to the offense holding the Golden Eagles on third down at the USM 46. Elijah McGuire converted on fourth down for a first down at the UL 49 with 30 seconds showingt, but a nine-yard sack put Louisiana into a second-and-long that proved too much to dig out of.
 
Mullens passed for 346 yards, Staggers hauled in 230 yards receiving and Smith rushed for 138 to guide the Southern Miss offense.
 
McGuire rushed for a team-high 99 yards, the vast majority of his 131 all-purpose yards accrued in his final outing as a Ragin’ Cajun.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns fell in a New Orleans Bowl contest for the first time in five appearances. The contest brought an end to the 2016 season.