Jay Hopson gave his team several days off after its win over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 25.
Southern Miss knew it was going to a bowl game. But even when the Golden Eagles returned to the practice field a week after achieving bowl eligibility, they still weren’t sure where they would play next. Nor when. Nor against which opponent.
They had a strong hunch, though. The team had a sneaking suspicion it would represent Conference USA in the New Orleans Bowl against either Louisiana-Lafayette or Appalachian State. Southern Miss found out Sunday afternoon its gut instinct was correct.