For the first time in 674 days, Southern Miss finally won an FBS game.
The Golden Eagles earned their first Sun Belt victory since 2023 with a 38-22 win over Appalachian State on Saturday night at M.M. Roberts Stadium, snapping the program’s long drought and sending a statement that the Charles Huffhas arrived in the Sun Belt.
“Awesome job by our players tonight,” Huff said. “Really proud of the way they competed, but I’m prouder of the way they prepared this week. There is still a lot to clean up … but we will celebrate tonight and get ready for next week.”
A New Milestone
Southern Miss is 2-1 for the first time since 2019, a benchmark that shifts the conversation around a program that has been desperate for progress.
For a team that spent the last five seasons in limbo, searching for stability through coaching changes, roster turnover and a historically bad losing streak, the victory over Appalachian State felt different. It didn’t just end an FBS skid — it provided tangible proof that Huff’s offseason overhaul, which saw nearly 80 new players arrive in Hattiesburg, is beginning to pay dividends.
But Huff, who preached patience and process from the day he was hired, said he doesn’t focus on the drought or the history.
“This is not the same old Southern Miss,” Huff said. “And it won’t be ever again as long as I’m here. We got a lot of work to do. But you’re not just going to come up here and chalk up a win. It’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be competitive. Our guys are going to be coached well and they are going to play hard. Not saying we are going to win every game, but you aren’t going to get on the plane and come to Hattiesburg and expect to leave with a win. It’s not going to happen ever again.”
Red Zone stops proved difference
The Golden Eagles got there with defense. Appalachian State entered the night with the Sun Belt’s top-ranked offense, averaging 41 points per game. The Mountaineers looked dangerous early, moving the ball into scoring position on each of their first two drives.
The first ended with an Anthony Richard interception in the end zone. The second concluded with a Rashod Dubinion 2-yard touchdown run, the Mountaineers’ only touchdown until late in the third quarter.
From there, the Golden Eagles clamped down.
Time and again, Appalachian State marched into the red zone, and time and again, Southern Miss turned them away. The defense came up with three interceptions inside the 20, denying as many as 21 potential points.
The biggest moment came midway through the second quarter with USM leading 10-7. Facing third-and-goal from the 4, quarterback Ken Seals fired a swing pass toward Dubinion in the flat. Dubinion lunged for the ball, but it popped into the air and into the hands of Ian Foster.
Foster didn’t hesitate. He sprinted the length of the field, 99 yards, for a touchdown return that tied for the third-longest in program history.
“When I caught it, I just thought, ‘Go,’” Foster said. “He had his shoulders turned and the ball just popped up off his hands. I knew it was mine.”
On the very next possession, Appalachian State again moved inside the 10. But cornerback Mathis Haygood stepped in front of a pass at the goal line, stopping another drive that had chewed up 13 plays and 68 yards.
“Offenses are too good in college football, with the way the rules are and the field spread,” Huff said. “They’re going to be able to move the ball. What you have to do is create those opportunities when they show up. They walked the ball down the field, got a turnover — I’ll take that every day. Then they walked it again, and we got another turnover. I’ll take that too. If you look at the stat sheet, they probably had 200 yards on those two drives alone. It’s not about the stats anymore. It’s about creating what we call momentum stoppers.”
By halftime, Southern Miss had turned a 7-7 tie into a 17-7 advantage, and with the ball to start the third quarter, the Golden Eagles didn’t waste their chance.
Braxton in Command
Quarterback Braylon Braxton engineered a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the second half, completing an 8-yard pass to Robert Briggs to push the lead to 24-7.
Braxton, a transfer in his first year as starter, was efficient all night. He finished 22 of 30 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while adding 27 yards rushing.
“I thought he did a really good job,” Huff said. “I thought he did a good job of taking care of the ball and managing the game. I thought he kept his energy, even after the turnover.”
The Golden Eagles added another score in the fourth quarter, stretching the margin to 38-16 before a late App State touchdown cut the final score to 38-22.
Braxton utilized receivers who hadn’t made big strides in the passing game as well. Among those included Tychaun Chapman who caught four passes for 112 yards on the night.
Defensive Line Domination
While Braxton and the offense provided enough balance to control the game, it was the defense that made the difference.
Southern Miss allowed just 190 total yards in the second half and finished with three takeaways and five sacks. Defensive end J’Mond Tapp led the way with three sacks, repeatedly collapsing the pocket and forcing Seals into hurried throws.
“So once we came in from halftime, we actually produced what we were supposed to do,” Tapp said. “We talked about it and adjusted the right way. Our team did that together. That’s what we’re supposed to do.”
The Mountaineers, a program long considered one of the Sun Belt’s standard bearers, left Hattiesburg frustrated. For Southern Miss, the win represented a possible turning point.
A Different Feel
When Huff was hired in December, he promised that he didn’t come to “play around.” He promised wins, toughness and a team that would restore pride to a fan base that had grown weary of waiting.
Saturday’s game offered the first real glimpse that his vision may be taking root.
Southern Miss didn’t just beat Appalachian State — it dictated the terms, flipping the script with defensive grit and playmaking.
At 2-1, the Golden Eagles find themselves in a position they haven’t enjoyed in years, with confidence, momentum and a sense that this season can be different.
And for the first time in nearly two years, there is proof to back it up.
Southern Miss travels to Ruston, La., next week for its first road test of the season at Louisiana Tech (2-1).
