Andy Birkel makes the catch on a 24-yard pass play. Le Kevin Smith sacks the quarterback. Judd Davies finds an opening. Josh Davis eludes a defender on his long TD jaunt.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Nebraska (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) survived the first road test of the year and came out with a hard-fought victory 27-10 over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (2-2, 2-0 Conference USA).

In an extremely wet and sloppy game the Huskers survived 5 turnovers to pull out the victory. Nebraska’s defense was the star of the game, also forcing 5 turnovers and allowing a mere 250 yards of total offense of which only 55 came from running the ball.

Nebraska pulled out to a touchdown lead just five minutes into the game as Jammal Lord pitched on the option to Josh Davis who took it 68 yards for the score. Lord appeared tackled after a nice gain, but somehow found Davis to his left. Davis did the rest of the work, juking one man and then going untouched the rest of the way.

A minute and a half later Mickey D’Angelo was intercepted by Fabian Washington, who scampered 32 yards for another touchdown. The score put the Huskers up 14-0 early in the first quarter.

All five of Nebraska’s turnovers came in the first half. Two off of fumbles and three from interceptions. Lord threw two of the three interceptions, with Dailey throwing the other one. Dailey came in for two plays after Lord was shaken up, on the second play he threw an ill-advised pass that was picked and returned 22 yards. No harm has done, however, as the Blackshirts forced a three and out and a punt. Rainy conditions appeared to have their effect on Davis, who ended two promising Husker drives with fumbles. However, Davis recovered in the second half and ended the day with 191 yards on the ground.

Nebraska got the ball back with only 2:27 remaining in the first half. With some nice passing by Lord, the Huskers quickly drove down the field to set up a David Dyches field goal. Dyches hit from 45 yards out to put the Cornhuskers up 17-0 going into the break.

The Husker D held the Eagles to negative rushing yards in the first half and held D’Angelo to 30 yards on 3 completions.

The Golden Eagles finally produced on offense getting both the passing and rushing games jump started. They got on the scoreboard for the first time late in the third quarter when Jacob Matlock hit a 27 yard field goal. The score put Southern Miss within 14 points.

The Huskers answered right back after a punt by the Husker offense. Southern Miss got the ball at their own 20 yard line. Two plays later on a reverse, Trevor Johnson hit Deron Lawerence, who fumbled. Le Kevin Smith quickly fell on the ball to give the Huskers possession at the 17 yard line. The offense went three and out, but Dyches hit a field goal from 36 yards out to put the Huskers back on top by 17.

Southern Miss finally got in the end zone on a 65-yard pass from D’Angelo to Anthony Perine. Josh Bullocks appeared to have the play covered but got too aggressive as he went for the interception. The ball sailed just over his hands into Perine's, who hustled down the sideline for the score; it put the Eagles within 10.

Nebraska’s next drive sealed the game. The Huskers drove 72 yards in 14 plays in a drive that ended in a 2 yard run by Judd Davies for the score. The drive consisted of mainly runs and took nearly 7 minutes off the clock.

Southern Miss got the ball back and quickly drove downfield into the red zone. However, as D’Angelo tried a pass for a touchdown, defensive back Pat Ricketts stepped in front of the pass and intercepted it, ending what was left of the Eagles' chances.

Nebraska returns to action October 4 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln against the Troy State Trojans. Southern Miss plays at Cincinnati, also on the 4th.

                BOX SCORE
              Nebraska        27 
              Southern Miss   10
Sep. 25, 2003 – M.M. Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS

               1st  2nd  3rd  4th    Final
               ---  ---  ---  ---    -----
SOUTHERN MISS    0    0    3    7     10
NEBRASKA        14    3    3    7     27
 
1st Quarter
NEB – J Davis 68 run (D Dyches kick) 10:14
NEB – F Washington 32 INT return (D Dyches kick) 8:40
2nd Quarter
NEB – D Dyches 45 FG 0:02
3rd Quarter 
USM – J Matlock 27 FG 5:44
NEB – D Dyches 36 FG 1:46
4th Quarter
USM – A Perine 65 pass from M D’Angelo (J Matlock kick) 11:02
NEB – J Davies 1 run (D Dyches kick) 3:58

                         NEB      USM
First downs               19       11
Rushed-yards          57-285    27-55
Passing yards             81      195
Sacked                     4        2
Return yards             158      119
Passes                5-20-3  12-39-2
Punts                 6-40.3   9-38.6
Fumbles-lost             3-2      4-3
Penalties-yards         4-40      0-0
Time of possession     34:01    25:59
 
RUSHING 
NEB - Josh Davis 21-191, Jammal Lord 15-29, David Horne 8-21,
Judd Davies 4-36, DeAntae Grixby 2-6, Joe Dailey 1-2.
USM - James Walley 14-50, Daron Lawerence 4-8,
Mickey D’Angelo 9-(minus) 3. 
PASSING 
NEB - Jammal Lord 5-19-81-0, Joe Dailey 0-1-0-0.             
USM - Mickey D’Angelo 11-38-186-1, James Walley 1-1-9-0.
RECEIVING 
NEB - Jack O’Holleran 2-45, Ross Pilkington 1-11,
Andy Birkel 1-24, David Horne 1-1. 
USM - Anthony Perine 4-94, Marvin Young 2-46,
Otho Graves 2-24, Terrell Browden 1-12, Daron Lawerence 1-11
Mickey D’Angelo 1-9, Antwon Courington 1-(minus) 1.