Southern Miss Golden Eagles football

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and play their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The team's current head coach is Ellis Johnson, who will begin his tenure with the 2012 season.

Football classifications

 * 1937–1959: NCAA College Division
 * 1960: NCAA University Division
 * 1961–1962: NCAA College Division
 * 1963–1972: NCAA University Division
 * 1973–1977: NCAA Division I
 * 1978–present: NCAA Division I-A

Conference affiliations

 * 1912–1930: Independent
 * 1931–1941: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
 * 1942–1947: Independent
 * 1948–1951: Gulf States Conference
 * 1952–1995: Independent
 * 1996–present: Conference USA

M. M. Roberts Stadium
Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M. M. Roberts Stadium is nicknamed "The Rock at Southern Miss" and boasts a seating capacity of 36,000. The stadium history dates back to October 29, 1932 when the State Teachers College defeated Spring Hill College, 12-0, as some 4,000 fans looked on from wooden bleachers. On this homecoming date, the playing field was dedicated as "Faulkner Field" in honor of local businessman L. E. Faulkner, who provided the materials and equipment to build the original facility. The stadium was dedicated on September 25, 1976, with Southern Miss hosting intrastate-rival Ole Miss. Since the opening of M. M. Roberts Stadium in 1976, Southern Miss has accumulated a winning percentage of 73% at home. In 1989, the playing field had a new irrigation system installed. The Robert "Ace" Cleveland Press Box and president's box was renovated and chairback seating was added to the west side of the stadium. In 2002, the lighting system was upgraded to provide brighter lighting and two new poles were added, one in each end zone. The playing field at Roberts Stadium underwent a name change in the 2004 summer when it was renamed Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium in honor of entrepreneur Gene Carlisle who provided the contribution for the installation of a new playing surface, Momentum Turf by Sportexe. A new state-of-the-art scoreboard was installed prior to the 2007 season. Other renovations and additions include such major projects as luxury suites, club-level seating, elevators on each side of the south end zone, and a visiting team locker room.

Players

 * Tumbo Abanikanda
 * Vincent Alexander
 * Carl Allen
 * Lyneal Alston
 * Hank Autry
 * Ken Avery
 * Brian Balazik
 * Doug Barfield
 * Jearld Baylis
 * John Baylor
 * Michael Boley
 * Jeff Bower
 * Byron Bradfute
 * Jeremy Bridges
 * Greg Brooks
 * Steve Broussard
 * Bud Brown
 * DeAndre Brown
 * Richard Byrd
 * Perry Carter
 * Antoine Cash
 * Chris Clark


 * Sidney Coleman
 * Kevis Coley
 * Reggie Collier
 * Fred Cook
 * Austin Davis
 * Bo Dickinson
 * Hanford Dixon
 * Demar Dotson
 * John Eubanks
 * Brett Favre
 * Damion Fletcher
 * Amos Fowler
 * Don Fuell
 * Ray Guy
 * Bobby Hamilton
 * Terry Hardy
 * Marvin Harvey
 * Harold Hays
 * Robert Henderson
 * Derrick Hoskins
 * Cooper Huckabee
 * Don Hultz
 * Michael Jackson


 * Jason Jimenez
 * Tom Johnson
 * Ronald Jones
 * Mike Katrishen
 * Jeff Kelly
 * Maxie Lambright
 * Cliff Lewis
 * Louis Lipps
 * Ryan McKee
 * Gerald McRath
 * Larry Mason
 * Tom Morrow
 * Shawn Nelson
 * John Nix
 * Tyrone Nix
 * Don Owens
 * Jeremy Parquet
 * Laurin Pepper
 * Perry Phenix
 * Todd Pinkston
 * Jeff Posey
 * Etric Pruitt


 * Stephen Reaves
 * John Sawyer
 * Cedric Scott
 * DeQuincy Scott
 * Harold Shaw
 * T. J. Slaughter
 * Tony Smith
 * Daleroy Stewart
 * Brandon Sumrall
 * Patrick Surtain
 * Daryl Terrell
 * Adalius Thomas
 * Norris Thomas
 * Torrin Tucker
 * Raymond Walls
 * Tom Walters
 * Terry Wells
 * Chris L. White
 * Chad Williams
 * Jerrel Wilson
 * Sammy Winder

Southern Miss to the Top
The Southern Miss to the Top! Response Cheer is used among Southern Miss alumni, students and supporters. The initiator of the cheer says “Southern Miss!” The responder says “To the Top!” Hand signals accompany the cheer, which are two gestures upward with the index finger, done by both the initiator and responder.

The District
The District is located near the intersection of US Hwy 49 and Hardy Street. The historic district of campus is anchored by the five original buildings of the campus: Ogelee Tree Alumni House, The Honor House, College Hall, Forrest Hall, and Hattiesburg Hall. It is also the traditional tailgating site for students during football season. It is home to Lake Byron, which has served as a focal point for many university activities and several weddings.

Eagle Walk
The Eagle Walk is found underneath the upper deck of M. M. Roberts Stadium. Two hours prior to football game day, a cannon is fired, which begins the procession. ROTC, The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band, University officials, and football players make a march through this street to the cheers of thousands of fans. Every fall, the incoming freshman give the walls and street a "fresh coat of paint" as they have done for half a century.

Seymour d'Campus
Over the years, Southern Miss has experienced an evolution of nicknames from Normalites to Tigers to Yellow Jackets to Confederates to Southerners. In 1972, alumni, faculty, students and staff were asked to submit new names for the athletic teams, and an ad hoc committee appointed by the Alumni Association voted on the submissions. The present mascot, the Golden Eagles, was chosen as the athletic teams’ name, and the new mascot was eventually named Seymour, an individual in a golden eagle costume. Seymour’s full name is Seymour d’Campus (a pun on "see more [of] the campus"). The name was inspired by the 1984 World's Fair mascot, Seymour d’Fair (a pun on "see more [of] the Fair"), who was played by former Southern Miss mascot Jeff Davis ’83.

== Future Non-Conference Opponents ==