Southern Miss shuts out UTEP 24-0

Last week’s one-point loss to Western Kentucky was UTEP’s best performance of the season in Mike Price's return, but the Miners couldn’t find a way to score points in the second half versus the Hilltoppers.

While the Miners’ stout defensive performance carried over into a matchup with Southern Miss, so did the second-half inability to score, and the Golden Eagles came away with a 24-0 shutout Saturday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi -- eventually wearing out UTEP’s defense.

Ito Smith carried the ball 28 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns -- while Jaylond Adams had two 52-yard catches, one for a TD -- and Southern Miss had 423 yards of total offense to UTEP’s 147.

After Devin Cockrell picked off Southern Miss quarterback Keon Howard with a diving catch on the opening drive of the game, the Miners went a quick 3-and-out with their first possession.

The Golden Eagles then ran four plays on the ensuing drive and -- capped by Jaylond Adams’ 52-yard touchdown catch -- went 79 yards in 1:38 for the game’s first score.

Barring a 28-yard catch by Erik Brown, UTEP’s offense stalled for a consecutive possession, and Southern Miss began a drive that started with 5:08 to play in the 1st and continued into the 2nd quarter.

With the first play in the 2nd, Keon Howard’s scramble to left was met with a fumble-forcing hit from Alvin Jones -- and Sky Logan’s recovery gave UTEP the ball at the Miner nine yard line.

The turnover catalyzed the Miners’ first sustained drive of the game -- going 50 yards off 12 plays in 7:33 -- but a promising possession ended with no points after UTEP punted on 4th and 5 from the Southern Miss 41.

The Golden Eagles got a first down the initial play of their next possession, but a Miner defense standing strong forced a punt three plays later that was fumbled and hurriedly booted away from the end zone.

With Zack Greenlee hurt on a 3rd-down scramble during UTEP’s previous possession, Ryan Metz and the Miner offense took the ball at the Southern Miss 30 yard line -- 5:43 to play in the first half. Without a reliable kicking game, UTEP was forced to go for it on 4th and 8 from the USM 28, and a blitz got to Metz for the sack with 4:40 in the half.

Another strong showing by UTEP’s defense forced Southern Miss to turn it over on downs, another stalled Miner drive ended in Alan Luna’s fourth punt of the half, and UTEP’s next stop on defense then started a three-play sequence of three consecutive turnovers.

Terry Juniel fumbled the Golden Eagle punt, Kahani Smith grabbed an interception on the next play at the UTEP two yard line, and Kevin Dove fumbled taking a carry out of the end zone.

Southern Miss took advantage of UTEP’s second turnover in three plays by running it two yards into the end zone with 41 seconds before halftime -- and USM took a 14-0 lead into the locker rooms.

Out of the break -- following a 15-yard catch and run by Walter Dawn -- Ryan Metz was picked off on the fourth play of the second half as he threw across his body on the run.

That led to an uneventful 3rd quarter that stayed scoreless for both teams.

A 13-play, 80-yard Southern Miss drive lasting 6:19 that continued into the 4th quarter was capped by a 20-yard run by Ito Smith -- putting the Golden Eagles up 21-0 with 10:39 left in the game.

Southern Miss then booted a field goal with 3:08 to play for the final points of the game.

The Miners now look to their upcoming bye week.