Heading into Week 2 of the college football season, there were several streaks with a legitimate shot of coming to an end. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are currently in possession of the most unwanted of them all, as the team with the longest active losing streak at the FBS level. Which begs the question, when did Southern Miss last win a college football game?
Southern Miss Holds the Longest Active Winless Streak in College Football
Ahead of their college football Week 2 clash with the Jackson State Tigers, Southern Miss holds the longest active losing streak in the sport. The Golden Eagles have lost their last 11 games. The program last tasted victory on Sept. 7, 2024, when they beat Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS outfit, 35-10.
Southern Miss’ last win over an FBS program came almost two years ago. The Sun Belt outfit beat the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns on the road, a close-fought 34-31 on Nov. 9, 2023. Over the past two seasons, the team has won just four games, establishing a reputation as something of a whipping boy in the conference despite a proud fan base.
However, Southern Miss has the opportunity to flip the narrative surrounding the program in Week 2. While they lost the season-opener against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the team showed signs of promise in a 34-17 defeat. They traded punches with the SEC outfit, drawing level early in the second quarter and going in at the half just three points down.
The departure of four-year head coach Will Hall midway through the 2024 season paved the way for former Marshall Thundering Herd leader Charles Huff to take the reins, and the highly-regarded coach took immediate steps to reshape the program. A large amount of his Sun Belt-winning Herd team followed him to Hattiesburg, giving the Golden Eagles a solid roster to compete.
As they look to claim their first win since Sept. 2024, Southern Miss will be buoyed by their historical success against FCS teams. The Golden Eagles are 237-105-18 against teams outside of the FBS level. Furthermore, the program is 3-0 against their Week 2 opponent, Jackson State. One of college football’s most unwanted records could be coming to an end.
