Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Southern Miss Golden Eagles
· New Orleans Bowl
Maverick McIvor rallies Western Kentucky to a New Orleans Bowl victory, beating Southern Miss 27-16
Head coach Tyson Helton has led the Hilltoppers (9-4) to a bowl game in seven straight seasons, winning five of them.
McIvor completed 12 of 19 passes for 199 yards with one interception and rushed for a season-high 48 yards and a score on eight carries. Matthew Henry had seven receptions for 126 yards. Jack Cannon kicked two field goals.
Braylon Braxton threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tychaun Chapman in the first quarter and Creighton Wilbanks kicked two field goals in the second to help the Golden Eagles (7-6) take a 13-6 lead into halftime.
Southern Miss piled up 265 yards in the first half, while holding Western Kentucky to 84. The Hilltoppers outgained the Golden Eagles 338-112 after halftime.
Freshman quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 9 of 20 passes for 65 yards with an interception for Western Kentucky before leaving right before halftime after taking a hard hit.
McIvor, who hadn't played since starting the first seven games, led the second-half charge.
McIvor capped an eight-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to tie it 13-all midway through the third quarter before Wilbanks kicked a 41-yard field goal to put Southern Miss up 16-13 heading to the fourth.
McIvor had a 23-yard run to the Golden Eagles' 1 and George Hart III plunged into the end zone two plays later for a 20-16 lead 7:48 remaining.
McIvor completed a 14-yard pass to Matthew Henry on third-and-11 and Marvis Parrish raced 54 yards for a score on the next play to set the final margin with 3:38 left. The Hilltoppers were successful on all eight third-down opportunities in the second half after going 1 for 9 in the first.
Braxton totaled 258 yards on 24-for-47 passing with an interception.
How To Watch
How can I watch Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles?
- TV Channel: Hilltoppers at Golden Eagles 2021 College Football, week 1, is broadcasted on ESPN.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Scoring Summary
 |
FG | 1st Period 11:38 | John Cannon 31 Yd Field Goal |
 |
TD | 1st Period 4:06 | B. Braxton pass to T. Chapman for 35 yds, for a TD (C. Wilbanks KICK) |
|
FG | 2nd Period 11:09 | John Cannon 30 Yd Field Goal |
|
FG | 2nd Period 3:10 | Creighton Wilbanks 25 Yd Field Goal |
|
FG | 2nd Period 0:00 | Creighton Wilbanks 29 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 3rd Period 6:57 | M. McIvor run for 11 yds, for a TD (J. Cannon KICK) |
|
FG | 3rd Period 1:36 | Creighton Wilbanks 41 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 4th Period 7:51 | G. Hart III run for 1 yd, for a TD (J. Cannon KICK) |
|
TD | 4th Period 3:38 | Marvis Parrish 54 Yd Run (John Cannon Kick) |
Statistics
 WKU |
 USM |
|
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1st Downs | 21 |
| 9-17 | 3rd down efficiency | 7-20 |
| 0-0 | 4th down efficiency | 1-3 |
| 422 | Total Yards | 377 |
| 267 | Passing | 258 |
| 22/40 | Comp/Att | 24/48 |
| 6.7 | Yards per pass | 5.4 |
| 155 | Rushing | 119 |
| 33 | Rushing Attempts | 36 |
| 4.7 | Yards per rush | 3.3 |
| 8-74 | Penalties | 12-100 |
| 3 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 1 | Fumbles lost | 0 |
| 2 | Interceptions thrown | 1 |
| 31:24 | Possession | 28:36 |
Game Information
Location: New Orleans, LA
Attendance: 16,693 · Capacity:
College Football News
Tony Petitti reiterates Big Ten desire for '27 24-team CFP
Speaking on the first day of his conference's media days gathering, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti on Tuesday doubled down on his league's push for a 24-team College Football Playoff in time for 2027, saying "the faster it goes, the easier it will be."
Pat Biondo steps down as Kentucky football general manager
Kentucky GM Pat Biondo said his decision to step down seven months after taking the job was "a personal move."
USC coach Lincoln Riley not bothered by higher expectations
Expectations are high for coach Lincoln Riley in his fifth season at USC as the Trojans return plenty of starters, including quarterback Jayden Maiava, and boast the top-ranked recruiting class in the country.
Matt Campbell calls help from former Penn State players a 'gift'
Matt Campbell calls help from former Penn State players a 'gift'
Big Ten commissioner Petitti boasts league's dominance over SEC
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti told attendants of the league's media days that the Big Ten has shown its postseason dominance but will partner with other leagues in addressing a sustainable future for college sports.