The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Southern Miss
Blazers Dropped By Southern Miss, 3-0, In Defensive Duel
9/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2001
Final Stats?|? Notes
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - Southern Mississippi used swarming defense and big plays from its special teams to beat UAB 3-0 Saturday night.
The top two defenses in Conference USA lived up to their billing as Brant Hanna's 25-yard field goal in the second quarter provided the only scoring.
Southern Miss (3-0, 1-0 C-USA) came in ranked No. 1 in the country against the run having allowed just 52 yards in two games and No. 11 overall. UAB (2-2, 1-1) was sixth against the run and 14th overall nationally coming in.
The Golden Eagles speedy defenders, led by middle linebacker Rod Davis and rover Chad Williams, contained double-threat quarterback Jeff Aaron and rugged runner Jegil Dugger.
Aaron was 16 of 26 for 141 yards and two interceptions and Dugger rushed for 64 yards as the Blazers were held to 230 total yards.
Just last week those two accounted for five touchdowns as UAB beat Army 55-3.
UAB's defense, led by its "Steel Shield" defensive line, was just as good. Tackle Eddie Freeman dominated in the middle of the line and end Bryan Thomas had two sacks.
Southern Miss had 196 total yards. Timmy Blackwell ran 24 times for 97 yards.
The Blazers also hurt themselves with eight penalties for 68 yards. The most costly was an illegal man down field call that wiped out a 5-yard touchdown pass by Aaron in the third quarter.
Instead of taking the lead the Blazers were stopped on the ensuing third-down play. Southern Miss then blocked Rhett Gallego 27-yard field goal attempt.
Gallego had another chance to tie it with 4:40 left in the fourth quarter, but his 48-yard attempt missed low and away.
The Blazers fumbled away their last chance when Willie Quinnie muffed a punt that Davis recovered at the UAB 25 with 2:59 left.
The second meeting between the Blazers and Golden Eagles was drastically different from the first. Southern Miss won a wild overtime game, 33-30 in Birmingham last year.
Southern Mississippi's only sustained drive came in the first half. The Golden Eagles moved 68 yards on 16 plays before settling Hanna's field goal at 13:31 of the second quarter.
The Blazers moved to the Eagles 7 on their first drive of the game but the normally reliable Gallego missed a 24-yard field goal.
