Southern Miss enters the 2025 season with more hope than it has had in a while.
The Golden Eagles went just 1-11 last year with their lone victory being against FCS Southeastern. In fact, none of their other games were decided by less than 10 points.
But former head coach Will Hall was fired, and the Golden Eagles went out and hired Charles Huff, who just led Marshall to a Sun Belt Championship in 2024.
Huff brought with him several transfers from Marshall. This team is instantly more talented than it has been. Fans hope that’ll help Southern Miss get back to its winning ways, and they really hope that begins with this week’s game.
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Mississippi State vs. Southern Miss Betting Odds
Southern Miss is a +14.5 college football betting odds underdog against Mississippi State, with the Over/Under being 60.5.
The moneyline for Mississippi State is -600, while it’s +425 for Southern Miss.
Mississippi State vs. Southern Miss On TV
The matchup between Mississippi State and Southern Miss will be televised on ESPN.
The game will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Aug. 30. The contest is taking place at MM Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Mississippi State vs. Southern Miss Prediction
I predict Mississippi State will win but Southern Miss will cover the 14.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 60.5 total points.
Southern Miss lost plenty of players through the coaching change, but the team gained a few stars who previously played under Charles Huff at Marshall.
Quarterback Braylon Braxton is among them. The Group of Five Preseason All-American and 2024 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year threw for 1,624 yards, 19 touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing for 610 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
Southern Miss also added five of Marshall’s top seven receivers from last year. Chuck Montgomery is one of them after ranking second on the Thundering Herd with 32 catches and 393 yards to go with three touchdowns.
Wide receivers Elijah Metcalf, Carl Chester, Tychaun Chapman, and Bralon Brown should also be factors in Southern Miss’ offense. Southern Miss also returns tight end Kyirin Heath and wide receiver Davis Dalton.
Per 247Sports, which ranked Southern Miss as having the best transfer class in the Sun Belt, 21 players transferred to USM from Marshall. Many of them were on defense.
Josh Moten is one of those players. The Preseason G5 All-American tied for third in the FBS last season with five interceptions while adding 38 tackles and five pass breakups.
Ian Foster also transferred from Marshall after totaling 48 tackles, five for loss, with four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He’s also a Preseason G5 All-American return specialist after leading the FBS with 32.4 yards per kick return, as he racked up 518 yards on 16 kick returns in 2024.
Defensive lineman Brodarius Lewis is one of the returners who should play a crucial role for Southern Miss. The G5 Preseason All-American led the team with eight tackles for loss and four sacks to go with 39 tackles a season ago.
This Southern Miss team is more loaded with talent than it has been in a while. While winning right away in Week 1 might be tough, this Golden Eagles squad is one to watch.
