Posted: Monday December 20, 2010 3:00 PM
TUESDAY (Time eastern) Louisville (6-6) vs. Southern Mississippi (8-4), 8 p.m. (ESPN) Line: Louisville by 2 1/2. Series Record: Southern Mississippi leads 18-9-1. WHAT'S AT STAKE Louisville is making its first bowl appearance since the 2006 season and needs a win to finish Charlie Strong's first year as coach with a winning record. Southern Mississippi, which tied for second in Conference USA's East Division, is in a postseason game for the ninth consecutive season and 13th time in the past 14 years. Golden Eagles coach Larry Fedora, like Strong, is a former assistant at Florida. KEY MATCHUP Southern Mississippi's explosive offense against a stingy Louisville defense that ranked 11th nationally while limiting opponents to 304.7 yards and 18.7 points per game. The Golden Eagles have scored 30 or more points in 10 of 12 games, including all eight in Conference USA play. PLAYERS TO WATCH Louisville: RB Bilal Powell has rushed for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has seven 100-yard games and his average of 120.7 per game ranked 10th nationally and second in the Big East. Southern Miss: QB Austin Davis has completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,898 yards and 18 touchdowns vs. six interceptions. He's also rushed for 436 yards and 10 TDS. Leading rusher Kendrick Hardy has run for 855 yards and seven TDs. FACTS & FIGURES Louisville was a member of Conference USA from 1998-2005, when the Cardinals left for the Big East. ... Southern Miss is one of 13 Football Bowl Subdivision teams averaging over 200 yards per game both rushing (203.4) and passing (254.8). ... Louisville is 6-7-1 all-time in bowl games, including a win over Wake Forest in the 2007 Orange Bowl - the Cardinals' first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. ... Southern Miss is 9-11 in bowl games and is appearing in a postseason game in the state of Florida for the first time since 1981, when the Golden Eagles played Missouri in the Tangerine Bowl. ... Fedora is finishing his third seasons at Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles played in the New Orleans Bowl the past two seasons, beating Troy in 2008 and losing to Middle Tennessee a year ago. ... Powell grew up in nearby Lakeland, Fla. ... Southern Miss PK Danny Hrapmann was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award. He is 26 of 30 on field goal attempts and has made all 51 of his PAT tries. ... Davis has thrown for at least one TD in 27 of 30 career starts for the Golden Eagles.  |
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