The Games That Will Define Southern Miss Football's 2026 Season

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The 2026 college football season is right around the corner, and Southern Miss is looking to get the Blake Anderson head coaching era off to a good start. After winning a total of four games in 2023 and 2024, the Golden Eagles bounced back in 2025 in Charles Huff's lone year at the helm in Hattiesburg, securing a winning season with a 7-6 record and a New Orleans Bowl appearance.

The Southern Miss football program would love nothing more than to continue the positive momentum from last year into this year, but that will be easier said than done, as the team features 75 newcomers, essentially "starting from scratch," as Anderson has expressed.

From our personal expectations and expectations here at Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI, to the Sun Belt football coaches and national media chiming in, there are varying opinions on where the Golden Eagles will end up this year. Much of that uncertainty stems from the schedule itself, as Southern Miss will face several opponents that could make or break the program's hopes for a second consecutive winning season and bowl appearance. Today, we're ranking the toughest games on the Golden Eagles' 2026 schedule from the bottom... to the top!

No. 12 – vs. Alcorn State, Week 1

Southern Miss Alcorn State — Southern Miss Athletics

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Alcorn State 4-0.

Most Recent Meeting: Southern Miss defeated Alcorn State 40-14 against Alcorn State in Hattiesburg on Sept. 2, 2023.

What to Watch For: The main reason to watch this game is that it marks the start of a much-anticipated Southern Miss football season. Obviously, the Golden Eagles will be favored to win this game because Alcorn State is an FCS school, but this particular game will be more about symbolizing a new beginning, a new era of Southern Miss football.

There's no better time for hope than during the offseason or during the first game of the year. We're expecting The Rock to be buzzing to ring in Anderson's first year as head coach.

No. 11 – at Louisiana-Monroe, Week 9

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads ULM 7-3.

Most Recent Meeting: Southern Miss defeated ULM 49-21 in Hattiesburg on Oct. 25, 2025.

What to Watch For: It is going to be very hard for this year's Southern Miss team to win on the road, but one they should be able to take care of is at Louisiana-Monroe. However, the Warhawks might still be feeling some type of way after that thumping they took in Hattiesburg for the Golden Eagles' homecoming last season... Regardless, we're expecting the Eags to get this one done, brand new roster and all.

No. 10 – vs. UConn, Week 3

All-Time Series Record: 0-0

Most Recent Meeting: N/A

What to Watch For: The fact that Southern Miss and UConn have never played each other in football in the programs' histories is enough to make this game worth watching. When comparing history, the Golden Eagles definitely have the upper hand on the Huskies, but both teams are on a pretty even slate heading into this one.

This particular home game will be a big one for the Golden Eagles, as it's the third game of the year following the opener against Alcorn State and a second game on the road against Auburn. Barring an upset against Auburn, the UConn game could be the difference between being 1-2 and 2-1 heading into the final nine games of the year. Starting the year with two or more wins in those first three games would provide the roster with a major confidence boost.

No. 9 – vs. South Alabama, Week 12

USM South Alabama — Southern Miss Athletic

All-Time Series Record: South Alabama leads Southern Miss 6-0.

Most Recent Meeting: South Alabama defeated Southern Miss 42-35 in Mobile on Nov. 22, 2025.

What to Watch For: The reason to watch this game is the same reason it has been over the last several years: Is this finally the year that the Golden Eagles can defeat the Jaguars on the gridiron? South Alabama has had Southern Miss' number in a big way, having won all six of the meetings between the two programs so far.

Regardless of what the Golden Eagles' overall record ends up being, Coach Anderson proving that he can end the curse and defeat USM's Highway 98 rivals would give the fan base something to feel good about.

No. 8 – vs. Louisiana, Week 8

USM Ragin Cajuns — Southern Miss Athletics

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Louisiana 43-12-1.

Most Recent Meeting: Southern Miss defeated Louisiana 22-10 in Lafayette on Oct. 18, 2025.

What to Watch For: Although this series is viewed as a rivalry, the fact of the matter is that the Golden Eagles have dominated the Ragin' Cajuns on the football field, even grabbing wins in years where they probably had no business doing so. Still, it's always a good time between both enthusiastic fan bases when Southern Miss and Louisiana get together.

With the Golden Eagles having a "start from scratch" roster, and the Ragin' Cajuns having more return experience, including starting quarterback Lunch Winfield, Louisiana better get Southern Miss while it can. Given how the overall series has gone, though, it wouldn't shock us at all to see the Golden Eagles pull out a victory here, especially since the game will be at The Rock this year.

No. 7 – vs. Arkansas State, Week 7 (Following a Bye... Sort Of)

USM Arkansas State — Southern Miss Athletic

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Arkansas State 11-4.

Most Recent Meeting: Southern Miss defeated Arkansas State 27-21 in Jonesboro on Nov. 8, 2025.

What to Watch For: If this year's matchup between Southern Miss and Arkansas State in Hattiesburg has as much drama as last year's matchup in Jonesboro did, fans might as well go ahead and have some blood pressure medicine handy, just in case.

On Nov. 8, 2025, the Golden Eagles went into Jonesboro and came away with a thrilling 27-21 win that came down to the final play of the game, when Southern Miss batted down what would've been an Arkansas State touchdown in the endzone to end the contest. Although it ended up being the Golden Eagles' final win of the season (they were 7-2 at the time and finished 7-6), that win against the Red Wolves gave them sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt West Division at that moment.

No. 6 – at Old Dominion, Week 13

USM Old Dominion — Southern Miss Athletics

All-Time Series Record: Old Dominion leads Southern Miss 2-1.

Most Recent Meeting: Old Dominion defeated Southern Miss 17-13 in Hattiesburg on Oct. 7, 2023.

What to Watch For: If the Sun Belt didn't have East and West Divisions, Old Dominion would've been in the conference championship game against James Madison last season, as the Monarchs, with their high-flying offense, were clearly the second-best team in the Sun Belt. You're going to see a trend in the second half of this schedule ranking list, as most of the harder games are road games. It will be a very tall task for the Golden Eagles to go into Norfolk, Va., and take down the Monarchs at their house.

No. 5 – at Louisiana Tech, Week 11

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Louisiana Tech 36-18.

Most Recent Meeting: Louisiana Tech defeated Southern Miss 30-20 in Ruston on Sept. 20, 2025.

What to Watch For: The Golden Eagles reunite with their old rivals, the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech, but this time, as Sun Belt rivals. That's right: after a long, dramatic tug-of-war with Conference USA, Louisiana Tech finally broke free over the summer and officially joined the Sun Belt. The Golden Eagles and the Bulldogs were scheduled to play each other this season regardless, but since the matchup became a conference game, that's what led the Golden Eagles to add UConn to their non-conference schedule later than usual. All things considered, it will be good to see these former C-USA foes go at it once again as Sun Belt foes going forward.

No. 4 – at Troy, Week 6 (Following a Bye Week)

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Troy 8-7.

Most Recent Meeting: Troy defeated Southern Miss 28-18 in Hattiesburg on Nov. 29, 2025.

What to Watch For: At one point, Southern Miss led the all-time football series against Troy 8-2, but the Trojans are currently on a five-game win streak in the series and have pulled to within one game of tying it up. If the Golden Eagles had defeated Troy at The Rock in the final regular-season game at The Rock last November, they would've been in the Sun Belt championship facing James Madison. Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as the Trojans took care of business in Hattiesburg.

This will be a tough road game for the Eags, but they'll be coming off a bye week, and they'll also be playing at Troy on Tuesday night. And as we all know, crazy things can happen in the Fun Belt on those weird midweek games. This will be an interesting one to keep an eye on.

No. 3 – vs. James Madison, Week 10

All-Time Series Record: James Madison leads Southern Miss 1-0.

Most Recent Meeting: James Madison defeated Southern Miss 32-15 in Harrisonburg on Oct. 26, 2024.

What to Watch For: Anytime the defending conference champs come to your house, it's a big deal. Not to mention, James Madison is also coming off an incredible season that resulted in a College Football Playoff berth.

Although it's not last year, defeating a program on the rise, a program Southern Miss is striving to have the same success as, in Hattiesburg, would be a major indicator of Coach Anderson having the Golden Eagles on the right track. This will be one of the toughest games the Black and Gold will play this season, but anything can happen during a home game on a Thursday night in the Sun Belt.

No. 2 – at Tulane, Week 4

All-Time Series Record: Southern Miss leads Tulane 24-10.

Most Recent Meeting: Tulane defeated Southern Miss 21-3 in Hattiesburg on Sept. 16, 2023.

What to Watch For: First-year Southern Miss head coach Blake Anderson will have a big opportunity to win fans over who may still be on the fence if he can defeat former Southern Miss head coach Will Hall, who is now the head coach at Tulane, in Week 4. In four seasons at Southern Miss, Hall went 14-30, with his lone winning season coming in 2022 with a 7-6 record and a Lending Tree Bowl win. He is getting a pretty big second opportunity to show that he can win as a head coach at the DI level–something Anderson already has a long track record of doing.

The Green Wave will be the second College Football Playoff team from last year that the Golden Eagles face this year, but with new coaches and new players, all bets are off. Ironically, one of Hall's biggest wins during his time at Southern Miss was against Tulane in New Orleans in the 2022 season. Weird things have happened in this series over the years, and historically, a lot of times those weird things have gone in the Golden Eagles' favor. This is one of those games that could make a rebuilding season extremely enjoyable if Southern Miss can pull off a win.

No. 1 – at Auburn, Week 2

All-Time Series Record: Auburn leads Southern Miss 18-5.

Most Recent Meeting: Auburn defeated Southern Miss 24-13 in Auburn on Sept. 29, 2018.

What to Watch For: Southern Miss hasn't beaten Auburn in football since Nov. 10, 1990, when the Golden Eagles came back from a 12-0 halftime deficit to win 13-12 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The odds will heavily favor the Tigers in this one heading into Week 2, but if the Golden Eagles can at least keep it close, or better yet, pull off an unthinkable upset, fans will be feeling pretty good about the remaining 10 games of the season following this one. It may not be likely, but it's certainly not impossible. Let's see what Anderson's bunch can do with their backs up against the wall in SEC Country.

Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more preseason college football coverage over the next month and a half, and be sure to check out our football page for fall camp position battle previews, exclusive preseason one-on-one interviews, player profiles, and more!

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