The Greatest USM Football Season of All Time Bracket

Throughout this summer, Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI has been working to find out which Southern Miss football season is the greatest of all time, at least according to the fan base. After several rounds of fan voting, we have arrived at the Elite Eight, following 1981's blowout of 1996 in the final matchup of the Sweet Sixteen. The 1981 season received 98 percent of the total vote in that matchup.

Our Elite Eight teams in this Summer Bracket Challenge are: No. 1 2011, No. 3 1997, No. 4 1962, No. 5 1988, No. 6 1981, No. 9 1990, No. 10 1980, and No. 15 1999.

Today's matchup features the top-seeded 2011 Golden Eagle team taking on Curley Hallman's 1990 upset-filled squad. You can vote for today's teams over on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI Facebook page.

Today's Matchup: 1-seed 2011 Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. 9-seed 1990 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

#1 - 2011 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Austin Davis in the 2011 Conference USA Championship Game. — Dec 3, 2011; Houston, TX, USA; Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles quarterback Austin Davis (12) throws a touchdown pass against the Houston Cougars in the second quarter at Robertson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"ATTACKING IS JUST WHAT WE DO. WE'RE SOUTHERN MISS, IT'S WHO WE ARE." Those words were yelled by Larry Fedora in a 2008 promotional video made for his hiring. And that motto helped shape Fedora's four-year stint with the Golden Eagles.

Southern Miss opened 2011 ranked fairly high in some polls, including being ranked No. 20 by Phil Steele and No. 31 by the AP Poll. The Golden Eagles carried a high-scoring offense throughout the season, thanks to key players like Austin Davis at quarterback and Kelvin Bolden at wide receiver, averaging roughly 37 points per game. The defense worked its part as well, carried by linebacker and lineman Jamie Collins, allowing only 20 points per game. This successful team suffered twice on the field in losses to Marshall (who was 7-6 at season's end) and UAB (who finished 3-9). Southern Miss, ranked 22nd in the nation, defeated No. 7 Houston in the Conference USA Championship, giving the Golden Eagles their first and only win in the CUSA Championship*, and their first conference title since 2003.

Record: 12-2 (6-2 CUSA)
Conference USA Champions over #7 Houston
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Champions over Nevada
5 Weeks Ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll (Finished at #20)
Notable Players: Austin Davis (QB), Kevin Bolden (WR), Jamie Collins (LB)
Notable Wins: vs. SMU (27-3) & @ #7 Houston (49-28, CUSA Championship)

#9 - 1990 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Jeff Bower and Brett Fave (4) in Bower's first game as head coach and Favre's final game as a Golden Eagle in 1990. — Jeff Bower and Brett Fave (4) in Bower's first game as head coach and Favre's final game as a Golden Eagle in the 1990 All-American Bowl. Southern Miss would drop the game 31-27 against NC State. | Stock Image [Personal Archive]

Jim Carmody carved a path at Southern Miss for succeeding coaches to follow. Coaching one of the most demanding defenses in the nation as both a coordinator and head coach from 1978 to 1980 and 1982-1987, he created a tradition of toughness known at Southern Miss as "The Nasty Bunch." This tradition led into his successor, Curley Hallman's tenure. Hallman came to Hattiesburg in 1988, having previously served as the defensive backs coach at Texas A&M.

Coach Hallman's 1990 team featured future Southern Miss legend Brett Favre at quarterback, as well as Tony Smith at running back and Michael Jackson at wide receiver. The Golden Eagles finished the regular season at 8-3 and ranked at #23 in the AP Poll, facing North Carolina State in the All-American Bowl**. However, Curley Hallman accepted the head coaching job at LSU, left vacant by Ed Zaunbrecher, in a move that still haunts many Tiger fans even to this day. Hallman's job was taken by Southern Miss alum and longtime assistant coach Jeff Bower, who coached the Golden Eagles in their bowl appearance and Favre's final game as a Golden Eagle.

Record: 8-4 (Independent)
1 Week Ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll (Finished Unranked)
Lost All-American Bowl to NC State
Notable Players: Brett Favre (QB), Michael Jackson (WR), Tony Smith (RB)
Notable Wins: @ #13 Alabama (27-24) & @ #15 Auburn (13-12)

As the tournament narrows down, it seems the competition gets thicker as well. In a way, this may come down to who has the better wins: 1990 with Alabama and Auburn, or 2011 with Nevada and a Top 10-ranked Houston. Or it may be a quarterback battle: Brett Favre vs. Austin Davis. Anyway, the choice is yours! Remember to vote for your favorite in this matchup over on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI Facebook, and check out our Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI homepage for the latest content from our team. And as always: Southern Miss, To The Top!

*: Southern Miss would attend one more Conference USA Championship Game, losing to Western Kentucky in 2015.

**: The All-American Bowl was played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, from 1977 to 1990. It is equivalent to the JLab Birmingham Bowl today.

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