Southern Miss Golden Eagles 2009 Football Betting Preview

With the College Football 2009 Season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 120 Division I-A college football teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best College Football Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2009 season preview. Be sure to bookmark SportsbookBuzz.com your source for Sportsbook Reviews. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the College Football in our recommend sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2009 NCAA Football Season Previews here.

Southern Miss 2008 Record: (7-6, 4-4)
Southern Miss 2008 Bowl: New Orleans Bowl vs. Troy (W 30-27)
Southern Miss Coach: Larry Fedora (7-6 at Southern Miss, 7-6 overall)
Southern Miss Offensive Coordinator: Darrell Wyatt
Southern Miss Defensive Coordinator: Todd Bradford
Southern Miss Returning Stats Leaders:

• Rushing: Damion Fletcher, RB, 1,347 yards
• Passing: Austin Davis, QB, 3,128 yards
• Receiving: DeAndre Brown, 1,117 yards
• Tackles: Chico Hunter, CB, 68
• Sacks: Anthony Gray, DT, 6.0
• Interceptions: Eddie Hicks, S, 4; Justin Wilson, S, 4

Notable Southern Miss Returning Players: CB C.J. Bailey, WR Gerald Baptiste, G Micah Brown, OT Kyle Burkhart, DE Roshaad Byrd, G Ryan Hebert, DE Deddrick Jones, LB Martez Smith, CB Andre Watson, C Cameron Zipp

Southern Miss Key Losses: LB Tokumbo Abanikanda, K/P Britt Barefoot, G Wesley Housley, OT Ryan McKee, LB Gerald McRath, WR Ed Morgan, TE Shawn Nelson, DT Eric Phillips

I was not popular in the Deep South after releasing last year’s preview, in which I picked USM to finish dead last in the East after forcing out longtime head coach Jeff Bowers, who never had a losing season. I looked to be correct in November, as the Golden Eagles began the year 2-6. However, they finished with five consecutive wins, including their bowl game, to finish the year with a solid 7-6 mark. Even more exciting for USM fans is that some of their best players were freshmen last fall and should only be more improved this season. With a whopping 18 starters back from last year’s team, Southern Mississippi looks primed for a great season.

On offense, the only major loss from 2008 is tight end Shawn Nelson, who was a 4th round NFL draft pick. The offense, which averaged 30.5 points per game last year, will once more be led by sophomore quarterback Austin Davis, whose 3,128 yards and 23 touchdowns against only 8 interceptions as a freshman was among the best in the country. Davis’ top target is fellow sophomore DeAndre Brown, who was a 1 st team C-USA choice last season after catching 67 passes for 1117 yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Brown sustained a horrific broken leg in the bowl game and is questionable to begin the season after a July setback, so seniors Gerald Baptiste and Freddy Parham will need to step up early in his stead. At tailback, senior Damion Fletcher returns after rushing for 1313 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Fletcher is a two time 1 st team C-USA choice, earning his 2 nd selection last season. Davis should also contribute heavily into the rushing attack after accounting for 508 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2008. Finally, the Golden Eagles have the league’s best offensive line as 5 players who started return, 4 of whom are seniors! After paving the way for nearly 200 yards per game on the ground last season, this group should be once more be one of the best at opening up holes. I also expect them to improve against the pass rush after allowing 29 sacks in 2008. Overall, the Golden Eagles are one of the most dangerous offenses in the entire conference and if Brown’s setback is only a minor issue then this could be a very special unit. Either way, the Golden Eagles will definitely be a much stronger offensive team this season and will give almost any opponent fits.

The Golden Eagle defense is also a strong unit, having allowed only 24 points per game last fall. Up front, all four starters return, led by junior tackle Anthony Gray, whose 6 sacks earned him 2nd team C-USA honors. Sophomore end Cordarro Law also notched 5 sacks last year as a backup and should be a force with more playing time. The only major losses occurred at linebacker, where the team’s two leading tacklers depart. Junior Martez Smith will be relied upon for leadership but there will likely be a step back. The good news is that there is a lot of talent on hand and a few sophomores appear primed for starting roles. The secondary looks fairly strong, led by senior 2nd team C-USA safety Eddie Hicks, who had 64 tackles and 4 interceptions in 2008. The top four return 9 picks from a year ago after allowing opponents to complete just over 58 percent of their passes. I expect this unit to be improved, especially with a stronger pass rush. Overall, I would be very surprised if the Golden Eagles didn’t improve this fall and this should be one of the conference’s better defenses.

The schedule is fairly tough, beginning with a difficult non-conference schedule. USM travels to Louisville and Kansas while hosting Virginia, giving them three tough BCS conference games, though only Kansas is expected to be a power this season. The conference schedule is also daunting as they must travel to Marshall and East Carolina while drawing Tulsa and a trip to Houston out of the West. That’s the West’s top two teams from 2008! While the schedule looks tough, Brett Favre’s alma mater looks to be a much improved team with an explosive offense and a tough defense and this might be the most talented team in the entire league. I am picking the Golden Eagles to win the C-USA East division and I would not be surprised if they finished the season with ten or more wins. In fact, if they can upset Kansas in late September, the Golden Eagles could be a darkhorse BCS buster.

Southern Miss Big Games: Sept. 26th @ Kansas, Oct. 1st @ UAB, Oct. 17th vs. Memphis, Oct. 31st @ Houston, Nov. 21st vs. Tulsa, Nov. 28th @ ECU

Southern Miss’s Strength:

Quarterback Austin Davis did a superb job for a freshman, throwing for 3,128 yards and 23 touchdowns. However, it was his mere eight interceptions that surprised the most people. Davis’ ability to hang onto the ball gave Southern Miss one of the best turnover ratios in the nation and he should only be better with a year of experience under his belt. The same can be said for fellow sophomore DeAndre Brown. The 6-6 receiver caught 67 passes for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. Add the experience of Gerald Baptiste to the mix and the Golden Eagles have plenty of receiving threats. However, it is not just the passing attack that will be impressive. Damion Fletcher is back for his senior season and he already holds the career rushing record at USM. Last season he tallied 1,347 yards on the ground and ten romps into the end zone. Fletcher is also a capable receiver out of the backfield and that is very important in this offense.

Southern Miss’s Weakness:

The defense was not bad at all last year, ranking second in the conference in scoring defense. The unit gave up quite a few yards, but they would make it very difficult for anybody to get into the end zone. Eight starters are back, but two of the missing pieces are linebackers Gerald McRath and Tokumbo Abanikanda. Those two were the team’s top two tacklers and McRath left early for the NFL. Finding replacements for them in the middle of the field will be a tough task for defensive coordinator Todd Bradford. That will put a lot of pressure on players like Martez Smith to step up and fill the void. The defensive line had trouble getting into the backfield and Anthony Gray and Deddrick Jones have to find a way to get to the quarterback. If they do, the experienced secondary will be one of the best in the conference.

Our Prediction for the 2009 Golden Eagles:

Southern Miss returns enough talent to make a run at a Conference USA championship. Four of their six losses last year were by a touchdown or less and, with another year of experience in the new system, the ball might bounce their direction a little more often. The offense should score 35 points per game, but the difference between a special season and just another bowl trip will be the play of the linebackers.

Southern Miss Betting Odds

Will Southern Miss go to a Bowl Game this year? Or, will their season be lackluster? Either way, you can still enjoy Southern Miss Football Betting at our feature sportsbooks. Southern Miss & College Football Betting is serious business; where you can make a ton of loot placing informed, smart Southern Miss bets. Check out these highly reliable, trustworthy, online sportsbooks.

Join BetUs.com Today and Bet on Southern Miss and receive a 50% Sportsbook Bonus!

NCAA Football Handicapping Picks

Check out our weekly Sports Handicapping Picks from the world’s best handicappers. Trust our handicapping experts offering premium and free NCAA Football Picks and packages daily. Also stay up to date with weekly College Football Matchups, and buy some picks to win some BIG cash this football season at our recommended sportsbooks.