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By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff WriterSOUTHERN MISS 27, USF 6: Too many mistakes wipe out chances to score for Bulls.
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - For a while Saturday, it seemed the more yards South Florida gained and the fewer it allowed, the further it fell behind Southern Miss.
USF controlled much of the game, USM dominated the scoreboard. Despite an advantage on the stat sheet, the Bulls fell 27-6 to the opportunistic Golden Eagles before 23,708 at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
"We had some untimely fumbles and mishaps," USF receiver Brian Fisher said. "It was just one of those games."
Another game, a bowl, is slipping away. USF fell to 4-3, 2-2 in C-USA; USM improved to 4-3, 4-0. Since its two wins over Division I-AA teams won't count toward its overall total, USF must win its final four - Friday vs. Cincinnati, then at East Carolina, vs. UAB and at Memphis, the league's hottest team - to earn a bowl bid.
"It hasn't been said yet," linebacker Courtney Davenport said, "but we know it's pretty much do or die."
Penalties, turnovers and big plays buried USF. The Bulls appeared in control in the first half, yet trailed 20-3 at intermission. On the first play from scrimmage Southern Miss threw an 80-yard touchdown. For the rest of the half the Bulls outgained the Golden Eagles 223-95, but were outscored 14-3.
How did that happen? In that span USF:
Lost two fumbles.
Committed seven penalties for 64 yards.
Had a field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown.
That's how.
For the game, the Bulls committed 13 penalties for 129 yards, helping Southern Miss to its highest score this season.
"Dumb, dumb, dumb - we were doing dumb stuff," said USF linebacker Maurice Jones, who had 17 tackles and still was seething about 45 minutes after the game. "We've got to go back to the drawing board and find some discipline."
"The penalties are (the USF players' fault)," cornerback Kenny Robinson said. "If you know you're not supposed to do something, don't do it."
USF also allowed tailback Anthony Harris to rush for 93 yards in the second half (102 total), halting any comeback hopes.
"I really felt at halftime we had a chance to win. We were stopping ourselves," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "Our offense didn't move the ball at all in the second half and our defense tired down."
In two games at "The Rock," USF has been outscored 68-13. The Bulls were pulverized 41-7 in 2000, but unlike that day USF should have been in this one. It wasn't, though it had four more first downs (20-16) and 49 more total yards (386-337).
"I can't really describe it," Robinson said. "I'm still shocked myself."
On the first play from scrimmage, Southern Miss receiver Marvin Young got open down the middle, and quarterback Dustin Almond hit him in stride. Young avoided tackle attempts by Bruce Gipson and Kevin Verpaele to complete the touchdown and put Southern Miss up 6-0. The extra point was blocked.
The Bulls answered on the ensuing series with a field goal. J.R. Reed's 48-yard kickoff return to midfield got things started, and USF drove to the 11 before settling for Santiago Gramatica's 28-yarder to make it 6-3.
USF seemed poised to take the lead early in the second quarter. Ronnie Banks (22-of-52, 260 yards) passed 26 yards to Huey Whittaker (five catches, 122 yards), then a 13-yard run by DeJuan Green got the Bulls to the 8. But a 15-yard personal foul penalty on third down pushed the field-goal attempt back to 40 yards. Brandon Baker got the hold down a fraction late, and Gramatica's attempt was blocked by Seth Cumbie coming off the edge.
Linebacker Rod Davis scooped it up and raced 61 yards for the 13-3 lead with 9:27 until halftime.
The Bulls bounced back. A 48-yard pass to Whittaker moved the Bulls into scoring position on the next series before they self-destructed again. Clenton Crossley popped a run up the middle but fumbled at the 8 and USM recovered at the 4, skirting danger again.
USM punter Luke Johnson keyed the next Golden Eagles touchdown, uncorking a 76-yarder that put USF at its 2. The Bulls ended up punting from their 1, Southern Miss took over at the USF 29 and scored in three plays to make it 20-3 at the half.
The USF offense slowed in the second half and Harris helped the Golden Eagles chew up the clock. His 27-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter finished things off.
For good measure, the Bulls kept committing penalties. Personal fouls on consecutive punts late in the third quarter led to Harris' touchdown.