These 4 games could determine if Southern Miss football, Will Hall make bowl game in 2024

Southern Miss football is in need of a return to a bowl game.

It enters Year 4 of the Will Hall era, which so far has resulted in one bowl game appearance in 2022. Otherwise, the Golden Eagles have produced two 3-9 seasons with Hall, giving him a 13-24 record as coach.

Southern Miss’ 2024 schedule is about as balanced as can be. It is split evenly into three four-game stretches that are separated with open weeks in Week 5 and Week 10. Each four-game window consists of two home games and two road games. Southern Miss plays back-to-back home games against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 7 and South Florida on Sept. 14, but alternates home and road games for the rest of the season.

The season starts at Kentucky on Aug. 31 (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).

Here are four games that could determine Southern Miss’ bowl fate, beginning with two key nonconference games in September.

Sept. 14 vs. South Florida

Southern Miss’ Week 3 home game against South Florida could be the first true measurement of where it stacks up in the 2024 season. USF is no Group of 5 cake walk after going 7-6 in coach Alex Golesh’s first season that included a 45-0 demolition of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Bulls also have a talented quarterback in Byrum Brown, who threw for 3,292 yards and led the team in rushing with 809 yards on the ground last season.

Lose this game, and Southern Miss could be 1-2 before a tricky nonconference road game at Jacksonville State.

TICKETS: How to buy Southern Miss football tickets? See prices for games on 2024 schedule

Sept. 21 at Jacksonville State

The next week will be just as challenging against a Jacksonville State team that won nine games in its first season at the FBS level. Coach Rich Rodriguez is in his third season and Jacksonville State is 50-12 at home in the last 10 seasons.

Southern Miss might be OK winning either one of the USF or Jacksonville State games, but losing both of them could be troublesome.

Nov. 9 vs Marshall

Southern Miss will play Marshall at home following its second open week. Unless the season has gone terribly wrong, Southern Miss should still be in bowl contention with four games remaining.

Starting the final stretch of the season with a win against Marshall could be key, especially with a road game at West Division favorite Texas State next.

Nov. 23 vs. South Alabama

The Jaguars are one of three Sun Belt West teams with a new coach after Kane Wommack left to be Alabama’s defensive coordinator. They also lost some of their best offensive players, making it difficult to project how good South Alabama will be in 2024.

This is Southern Miss’ final home game before it ends the regular season at Troy. Having a bowl already locked up before that game would ease a lot of pressure, especially against a team that could also be fighting for a bowl or at least playing inspired football under new coach Gerad Parker. Plus, it’d be quite the story if Southern Miss avenged its embarrassing 55-3 loss at South Alabama from last season with a bowl-clinching win.

Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: These 4 games could determine if Southern Miss football, Will Hall make bowl game in 2024