Final
Middle Tennessee beats Southern Miss 42-32
Dec 21, 2009 - 6:15 AM By MARY FOSTER AP Sports WriterNEW ORLEANS(AP) -- Dwight Dasher got the best of Southern Mississippi - and topped Vince Young, too.
Dasher ran for 201 yards - the most by a quarterback in a bowl game - and two touchdowns and threw two scoring passes to lead Middle Tennessee to a 42-32 victory over Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl on Sunday night.
Dasher completed 15 of 25 passes for 162 yards and ran 26 times. He finished the season with 1,175 yards rushing. He broke the quarterback bowl rushing record of 200 yards set by Texas' Young in the 2006 Rose Bowl against Southern California.
"Obviously, it was difficult stopping him," Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. "We knew going in that he was a heck of a player, and he showed that tonight. We sent him out a great player. He single handedly did it against us."
Middle Tennessee (10-3), playing in the second bowl game in school history, concluded its best season since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999 with a seven-game winning streak and its first bowl victory.
"I've never been part of a team that plays harder than we do," Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill said. "Other teams can't match our intensity, enthusiasm and toughness and that was evident today. We fell behind 14-0 but we never quit."
Southern Miss (7-6) was playing in its eighth straight bowl game and 12th in the last 13 seasons. The Golden Eagles had won their three previous New Orleans Bowls, including an overtime win against Troy last season.
Southern Miss quarterback Martevious Young completed 18 of 34 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions.
Southern Miss running back Damion Fletcher ran for 78 yards. He finished the season with 1,015 to become the ninth player in major college football to reach 1,000 in all four seasons.
He did it despite a hamstring injury that caused him to sit out one game this season.
With 5,302 yards rushing overall, Fletcher passed Herschel Walker (5,259) and LaDainian Tomlinson (5,263) for eighth on the NCAA's career list.
Southern Miss started strong, scoring on their first possession as Tory Harrison rushed for a 2-yard touchdown. On their second possession, the Golden Eagles stretched the lead to 14-0 on a 24-yard reception by DeAndre Brown.
The Blue Raiders pulled even in the second quarter on an 11-yard reception by Garrett Anders, and - after Alex Suber intercepted Young's pass on the Southern Miss 12 - a 9-yard TD catch by Shane Blissard.
Southern Miss held a 17-14 edge at halftime thanks to Daniel Hrapmann's 20-yard field goal as time expired.
Dasher opened the third quarter with a 35-yard touchdown run. When Dasher left briefly with an ankle injury, Brent Burnette capped 76-yard scoring drive with a 23-yard TD pass to Chris McClover.
Hrapmann hit a 38-yard field goal to cut the Blue Raiders lead to eight at 28-20 at the end of three quarters.
Southern Miss had a chance to tie it early in the fourth making it 28-26 on DeAndre's 7 yard TD reception, but the 2-point conversion failed.
Benjamin Cunningham and Dasher ran for touchdowns to put it out of reach for Middle Tennessee.
USM added a final score with 27 seconds left the draw within 10.
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SOUMISS 14 3 3 12 32
MIDDLETENN 0 14 14 14 42 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SOUTHERN M - TD, TORY HARRISON 2 YD RUN
(TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION
FAILED), 4:18. SOUMISS 6-0
SOUTHERN M - TD, DEANDRE BROWN 24 YD PASS FROM
MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (MARTEVIOUS
YOUNG PASS TO DEANDR
Dec 21 12:06 AM - NCAAF
SOUMISS 32
MIDDLETENN 42 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Dec 21 12:06 AM
TD SOUTHERN MISS FREDDIE PARHAM 33 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Southern Mississippi 32, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 0:27Dec 21 12:04 AM
TD SOUTHERN MISS FREDDIE PARHAM 33 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Southern Mississippi 32, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 0:27Dec 21 12:04 AM- NCAAF
TD SOUTHERN MISS
FREDDIE PARHAM 33 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG
(TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
SOUMISS 32
MIDDLETENN 42 0:27 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Southern Mississippi 32, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 0:27Dec 21 12:04 AM
TD MIDDLE TENN DWIGHT DASHER 1 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 1:13Dec 20 11:52 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN DWIGHT DASHER 1 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 1:13Dec 20 11:52 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 26
MIDDLETENN 42 1:13 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 42 4th - 1:13Dec 20 11:52 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN BENJAMIN CUNNINGHAM 2 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 35 4th - 3:14Dec 20 11:41 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN BENJAMIN CUNNINGHAM 2 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 35 4th - 3:14Dec 20 11:41 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 26
MIDDLETENN 35 3:14 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 35 4th - 3:14Dec 20 11:41 PM
TD SOUTHERN MISS DEANDRE BROWN 7 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 28 4th - 6:52Dec 20 11:32 PM
TD SOUTHERN MISS DEANDRE BROWN 7 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 28 4th - 6:52Dec 20 11:32 PM- NCAAF
TD SOUTHERN MISS
DEANDRE BROWN 7 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG
(TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
SOUMISS 26
MIDDLETENN 28 6:52 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 28 4th - 6:52Dec 20 11:32 PM - 83
rootsRUWTbot Added 68 roots (Close Finish)
Southern Mississippi 26, Middle Tennessee 28 4th - 6:52Dec 20 11:32 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN CHRIS MCCLOVER 23 YD PASS FROM BRENT BURNETTE (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 28 End of 3rdDec 20 11:09 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN CHRIS MCCLOVER 23 YD PASS FROM BRENT BURNETTE (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 28 End of 3rdDec 20 11:09 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN CHRIS MCCLOVER 23 YD PASS FROM BRENT BURNETTE (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 28 End of 3rdDec 20 11:09 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 20
MIDDLETENN 28 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 28 End of 3rdDec 20 11:09 PM
FG SOUTHERN MISS DANNY HRAPMANN 38 YD
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 21 3rd - 7:36Dec 20 10:46 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 20
MIDDLETENN 21 7:36 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Southern Mississippi 20, Middle Tennessee 21 3rd - 7:36Dec 20 10:46 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN DWIGHT DASHER 35 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 17, Middle Tennessee 21 3rd - 10:12Dec 20 10:37 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN DWIGHT DASHER 35 YD RUN (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 17, Middle Tennessee 21 3rd - 10:12Dec 20 10:37 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 17
MIDDLETENN 21 10:12 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Southern Mississippi 17, Middle Tennessee 21 3rd - 10:12Dec 20 10:37 PM
FG SOUTHERN MISS DANNY HRAPMANN 20 YD
Southern Mississippi 17, Middle Tennessee 14 HalfDec 20 10:00 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 17
MIDDLETENN 14 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Southern Mississippi 17, Middle Tennessee 14 HalfDec 20 10:00 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN SHANE BLISSARD 9 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 14 2nd - 4:41Dec 20 9:43 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN SHANE BLISSARD 9 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 14 2nd - 4:41Dec 20 9:43 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN SHANE BLISSARD 9 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 14 2nd - 4:41Dec 20 9:43 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 14
MIDDLETENN 14 4:41 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 14 2nd - 4:41Dec 20 9:43 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN GARRETT ANDREWS 11 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 7 2nd - 13:25Dec 20 9:23 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN GARRETT ANDREWS 11 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 7 2nd - 13:25Dec 20 9:23 PM
TD MIDDLE TENN GARRETT ANDREWS 11 YD PASS FROM DWIGHT DASHER (ALAN GENDREAU KICK)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 7 2nd - 13:25Dec 20 9:23 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 14
MIDDLETENN 7 13:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 7 2nd - 13:25Dec 20 9:23 PM - NCAAF
SOUMISS 14
MIDDLETENN 0 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Dec 20 9:12 PM
TD SOUTHERN MISS DEANDRE BROWN 24 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (MARTEVIOUS YOUNG PASS TO DEANDRE BROWN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 0 1st - 6:35Dec 20 8:52 PM
TD SOUTHERN MISS DEANDRE BROWN 24 YD PASS FROM MARTEVIOUS YOUNG (MARTEVIOUS YOUNG PASS TO DEANDRE BROWN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 0 1st - 6:35Dec 20 8:52 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 14
MIDDLETENN 0 6:35 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Southern Mississippi 14, Middle Tennessee 0 1st - 6:35Dec 20 8:52 PM
TD SOUTHERN MISS TORY HARRISON 2 YD RUN (TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
Southern Mississippi 6, Middle Tennessee 0 1st - 10:42Dec 20 8:39 PM- NCAAF
SOUMISS 6
MIDDLETENN 0 10:42 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Southern Mississippi 6, Middle Tennessee 0 1st - 10:42Dec 20 8:39 PM
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