The Greatest USM Football Season of All Time: Elite Eight, Matchup No. 3 - 1962 vs. 1988

Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI has been working through the summer to determine what the greatest season of Southern Miss football has been in history. Now, we are halfway through the Elite Eight Round, with 2011 and 1999 heading to the semifinals. And today's round could prove to be a shocker.

Oct. 29, 1988; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Brett Favre during Southern Mississippi's 34-27 win over Memphis; Mandatory credit: Steve Coleman-USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

All summer, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI team has been tallying your votes for the greatest Southern Miss football season of all time. Our previous matchup saw the 15-seeded 1999 Liberty Bowl Champions defeat Bobby Collins' 1980 Golden Eagles with 62 percent of the total vote, making 1999 the only seed outside of the Top-10 to reach the semifinal round.

Today's matchup could prove to be yet another upset. Not by seeding terms, but by accomplishment standards. Remember, you can vote in the polls in this series as we narrow it down on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI Facebook page.

Today's Matchup: #4 1962 Southern Miss Southerners vs. #5 1988 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

#4 - 1962 Southern Miss Southerners

Southerners Head Coach Thad "Pie" Vann and ends coach P.W. "Bear" Underwood confer during practice following the 1962 Season. | Hattiesburg American

In his first 13 seasons leading the then-Southerners, Thad Vann had accomplished a great deal for a school of Southern Miss' size at the time. The Southerners had amassed one UPI Small College National Championship, two conference championships, and a record of 96-37-1. But by 1962, the Southerners were ready for something else...again.

Shortly before the 1962 season, the President of Southern Miss, William McCain, the Dean, Porter Fortune, and athletics director Reed Green had their second proposal for Southern Miss to enter the Southern Conference denied. So that meant the Southerners had to prove they were still worth it. The Southerners started off 1962 with a 4-game win streak over Chattanooga, Louisiana, Richmond, and the now-defunct UT-Arlington. This streak snapped when the Southerners took their lone loss on the season against Memphis in a heartbreaking 8-6 loss. The Southerners jumped right back on track to win their last five games of the season, including shutouts of NC State and Abilene Christian. At the season's end, having floated around the Top 5 of the UPI Small College Poll all season, Southern Miss was named the UPI's National Champion, despite not attending a bowl game, and finishing ranked at No. 4.

• Record: 9-1 (Independent)
• 8 Weeks Ranked in The UPI Small College Top 25 (Finished at #1)
• UPI Small College National Champions
• Notable Players: Vic Purvis (QB), Jerrel “Thunderfoot” Wilson (P)
• Notable Wins: vs. NC State (30-0) & vs. Abilene Christian (30-0)

#5 - 1988 Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Former Southern Miss Head Coach Curley Hallman walking the sideline in 1988 | Hattiesburg American

After Jim Carmody resigned as coach of the Golden Eagles in 1987, the search was on for a new coach. Southern Miss athletics director Bill McLellan hired Texas A&M's defensive backs coach Curley Hallman in the winter of 1987, with a 4-year contract at a $68,000 salary ($199,900 in 2026). Hallman inherited a talented squad of players, including sophomore quarterback Brett Favre, and brought in running back Tony Smith to replace Carmody's veteran running back Shelton Gandy.

The 1988 Golden Eagle spread opened with a win over Stephen F. Austin, followed by a disappointing blowout loss against No. 10 Florida State in Tallahassee. To bounce back, the Golden Eagles got on the warpath with a 7-game win streak, including wins over Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Memphis, before another heartbreaker against No. 9 Auburn at Auburn. But the Golden Eagles bounced back once again with a win in the Rivalry in Dixie over Louisiana Tech, finishing at 9-2 and earning the Golden Eagles their first bowl bid since 1981. Southern Miss would go on to face 10-2 UTEP in the Independence Bowl, which the Golden Eagles won 38-18. A little trivia for you: as of the close of the 2025 football season, UTEP has not had another 10-win season since 1988. You might say Southern took care of that...

• Record: 10-2 (Independent)
• Independence Bowl Champions over UTEP
• Notable Players: Brett Favre (QB), Shelton Gandy (RB), Sidney Coleman (LB)
• Notable Wins: vs. Virginia Tech (35-13) & vs. Mississippi State (38-21)

We lost the 1958 UPI Small College National Champions way back in the early voting of the Sweet Sixteen. Will we lose another national champion team in the Elite Eight? That's up to you. Remember to vote for your favorite between the two on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI Facebook page. And for the latest content from our entire team, check out the Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI homepage. As always: Southern Miss, To The Top!