Tulane-Southern Miss Renews 29th Edition of Storied Football Rivalry this Saturday at 6 p.m.
Oct 22, 2009 | Football
Oct. 22, 2009
Tulane Game Notes vs. Southern Miss 
NEW ORLEANS- The Tulane football team makes its shortest trip during Conference USA play this Saturday when the team busses the 112 miles from New Orleans to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on long-time rival Southern Miss at Roberts Stadium. The contest will be aired live on Cox Sports Television (Channel 37/737 HD) and kick-off is slated for 6:06 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on WIST AM 690 and audio will also be available via the All-Access package on www.TulaneGreenWave.com.
Tulane (2-4, 0-3 C-USA) and Southern Miss (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) first met in Hattiesburg on Oct. 13, 1979, and the Green Wave edged the Golden Eagles, 20-19. The teams would continue to meet over the course of the next 27 years. In 1999, the rivalry became official with a trophy for the winner. The game is now nationally recognized as the "Battle for the Bell." The bell, donated by the USM Alumni Association, will go to the winner of what used to be arguably the premiere rivalry in Conference USA before the league divided Tulane and USM into two different divisions.
The Green Wave and Golden Eagles have squared off on the gridiron 28 times in the last 30 years, but haven't met since the 2006 campaign in New Orleans. Tulane is making its first appearance in Hattiesburg since the 2005 season.
Saturday's game marks the Wave's second road game of the season and Tulane is 1-0 following a 17-16 win at Army on Oct. 4. TU will look to snap a four-game skid to Southern Miss and will be looking to erase a five-game skid in C-USA road games. The Green Wave's last road victory came at Rice (45-31) in 2007.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Griffin has earned the starting nod for this week's game. Griffin has played in three games this season, but has seen his most significant action in TU's last two home games against Marshall and No. 23 Houston. Griffin came off the bench in relief of regular starter Joe Kemp in both contests and combined for 21-of-35 (.600) attempts for 225 yards and one touchdown. More importantly, he led the TU offense to scores on three of his six drives as the quarterback. Two of his of drives came during the game's final series.
Senior running back Andre Anderson currently ranks fifth among the league's backs for rushing yards per game with 92.3. Anderson finished with 108 yards on 18 carries (6.0 ypr) last week against No. 23 Houston. He has two 100-plus rushing games, including a season-high 199 yards vs. McNeese State, and has averaged 100 yards per game in his last two outings.
Senior flanker Jeremy Williams has 40 receptions for 641 (16.0) yards and three touchdowns, and he has two 100-yard and one 200-yard receiving games. He currently leads all C-USA players and ranks eighth nationally for receiving yards per game with 106.83, while his 6.67 receptions per game ranks third in the league and is 25th nationally.
Senior safety Chinonso Echebelem leads the Wave in tackles with 9.0 per game (58 total; 34 solo), which ranks third among C-USA players, and he leads all C-USA players in forced fumbles with three.
Southern Miss (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) darted out to a 3-0 start to begin the 2009 campaign with wins over Alcorn State (52-0), league rival UCF (26-19) and a come-from-behind victory over Virginia (37-34). However, the Golden Eagles suffered three straight road losses before snapping the skid with a 36-16 win over C-USA foe Memphis last week at home and improved to 4-0 at home.
Quarterback Austin Davis started the first five games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury at UAB. Junior Martevious Young replaced Davis and is 35-of-57 (61.4) for 400 yards and one touchdown.
Senior running back Damion Fletcher has rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of his first three seasons and enters the Tulane game with 524 yards and seven scores on 112 carries (4.7) and also has 15 receptions for 184 yards. The preseason All C-USA selection is averaging 87.3 rushing yards per game and has three 100-plus rushing yard games.
Senior receiver Gerald Baptiste leads USM in receiving with 24 catches for 238 yards and two scores. Sophomore LB Korey Williams has a team-best 66 tackles and four sacks.
Saturday's game marks the 29th all-time meeting between Tulane and Southern Miss and the Golden Eagles lead the series, 21-7. Tulane has an all-time record of 3-11 at Southern Miss and has dropped its last six straight decisions in Hattiesburg dating back to1995.
Tulane and Southern Miss were each founding members of Conference USA in 1996 and the Green Wave is 0-5 at Southern Miss since the league's inception. The last time TU came away with a win in Hattiesburg was a 17-15 victory in 1993 under then head coach, Buddy Teevens.
