On Monday, ESPN’s Bill Connelly published a “100 games that explain college football for 2026” list that featured two Southern Miss upset wins: the 1953 win over No. 8-ranked Alabama at No. 44 on the list, and the 1989 win over No. 6-ranked Florida State at No. 51. On this list, spots No. 43-No. 58 were exclusively reserved for the greatest upsets of all time.
Now, hear me out: those are two great wins in Golden Eagles history. But are they the greatest? Are they the ones that define college football and are worthy of being included on a top-100 list? Maybe, maybe not. But I’ve reanalyzed the history of Southern Miss football, and here are three upsets I think may outshine the ones that Mr. Connely chose.
1. November 13, 1982: Southern Miss 38, No. 17 Alabama 29
Paul “Bear” Bryant is arguably in the Top 5 when you talk about the greatest college football coaches of all time. Through periods at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama, Bryant amassed six national titles, 15 conference titles, and an overall record of 323-85-17. But one thing stood out during his tenure at Alabama: between 1963 and 1982, the Tide had a streak of 57 Home Game Wins. It would’ve been 58 games if not for former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Jim Carmody and his “Nasty Bunch” in 1982, however.
Southern Miss came to Tuscaloosa at 6-3 on the season and unranked, while Alabama was 7-2 and ranked No. 17 in the country. Despite the close records, it was expected to be an easy game for the Crimson Tide. But the result was the complete opposite. Southern Miss was up 28-14 over the Tide by halftime, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter alone. The Black and Gold momentum kept going in the second half, despite an Alabama push that still fell short. When the dust settled, the Golden Eagles claimed their first win over Alabama since 1954, and their first (and only) win in Tuscaloosa. Bear Bryant’s 57-game home win streak came to a close in his final season.
He would go on to lose to Auburn the next week, but ended the season on a semi-high note with a win over Illinois in the Liberty Bowl. After retiring after the Liberty Bowl, Paul “Bear” Bryant died on January 26, 1983, two and a half months after the Southern Miss win.
2. November 14, 1981: No. 14 Southern Miss 58, No. 20 Florida State 14
Just like Bear Bryant, there’s no question that Bobby Bowden is also one of the greatest coaches of all time as well. And Southern Miss took on Bowden’s Florida State Seminoles a number of times, but, as with Bryant, the results often went the opponent’s way. But in a season that had New Year’s Six appearance potential for the Golden Eagles, another loss to the Seminoles was far out of the question.
Southern Miss was 7-0-1 at this point in the season and ranked at No. 14 in the AP Poll. The week before the Florida State game, Southern Miss, ranked No. 20 in the nation, defeated No. 15 Mississippi State at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, in front of a record-setting crowd of 64,112. Now this week, Bobby Collins and his Golden Eagles were traveling to Tallahassee to take on Bobby Bowden’s No. 20-ranked Seminoles in an ABC-televised matchup. Running back Sammy Winder and star quarterback Reggie Collier ruled the game, contributing to the Golden Eagles’ 328 rushing yards. The Golden Eagles subsequently rose to No. 9 in the AP Poll, the highest ranking to date in program history.
3. October 17, 1970: Southern Miss 30, No. 4 Ole Miss 14
Archie Manning. A name synonymous with quarterback greatness in Mississippi. The Rebels were on the warpath in 1970, giving Manning a good claim to the Heisman Trophy as well. But Southern Miss had Ray Guy. And he was no laughing matter. Ray Guy, Willie Heidelberg, and Coach P.W. “Bear” Underwood proved to be the perfect antidote to Johnny Vaught’s Top-5 Rebels in 1970.
In front of a medium crowd at Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Ole Miss was heavily favored in this game and took an early 7-0 lead against the Southerners. Southern Miss then tied the game with a 44-yard rushing touchdown, but Ole Miss regained the lead once again. This would be the last time they regained it. Southern Miss took off at the legwork of “Wee” Willie Heidelberg, Southern Miss’ first African-American starter on the football team, who rushed for 22 yards and two touchdowns, as well as a touchdown by Rick Foley, and a 60-yard punt return touchdown by Gerry Saggus. Punter Ray Guy also scored a 47-yard field goal, tying his own record for the longest field goal at the time.
Honorable Mentions
2011 Conference USA Championship: No. 22 Southern Miss 49, No. 7 Houston 28
1997 Liberty Bowl: No. 22 Southern Miss 41, Pittsburgh 7
October 17, 2003: Southern Miss 40, No. 10 TCU 28
September 3, 2016: Southern Miss 44, Kentucky 35 – this one is probably the last “big” win for Southern Miss football. Kentucky wasn’t a juggernaut, but anytime you complete a big comeback on the road against an SEC team, it’s a big deal.
November 7, 1981: No. 20 Southern Miss 7, No.15 Mississippi State 6
Is my list perfect? I imagine not. But there definitely could be better and more poignant Southern Miss football games that could’ve been chosen for ESPN’s overall list, even outside of the “Upset” category. Remember, for the latest content from our team, check out ourSouthern Miss Golden Eagles On SI homepage.
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