Southern Miss Football: 1999 C-USA Champions
By: Tony Thomas
October 11, 2019
The 1999 Southern Miss football team won their third C-USA Championship with a 6-0 record, going 9-3 overall and finishing with a #14 final ranking in the AP Poll. The Golden Eagles were coached by Jeff Bower.
The offense was led by QB Jeff Kelly, who passed for 2,062 yards and 21 TDs and 11 INTs. Kelly led the conference in yards per attempt (7.9) and passer efficiency rating (143). RB Derrick Nix rushed for 1054 yards and 8 TDs. WR Todd Pinkston caught 48 catches for 977 yards and 11 TDs. Pinkston led C-USA in yards per reception (20) and receiving touchdowns (11). WR Sherrod Gideon caught 40 passes for 520 yards and 7 TDs.
Southern Miss had a win against a Top 25 opponent, 39-22 over #16 East Carolina, scored 40 or more points three times and finished the season on a 4 game winning streak.
The defense, led by DB Leo Barnes, DB Terrance Parrish and DL Adalius Thomas, racked up 15 INTs and held Army and Louisiana scoreless, allowing opponents just 15 points per game.
Postseason Accolades:
- C-USA Coach of The Year: Jeff Bower
- C-USA Defensive Player of the Year: Adalius Thomas
The Golden Eagles went on to play in the Liberty Bowl, beating Colorado State 23-17. Adalius Thomas was drafted in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
Thanks for reading.
Material for this article sourced from http://sports-reference.com http://usatoday.com http://sportslogos.net
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