What are the key factors for UL Monroe vs Southern Miss?

UL Monroe: Key Factors

• Offensive Struggles Continue: The Warhawks managed only 14 points, extending their losing streak to seven games. Quarterback Aidan Armenta threw for 166 yards and ran for a touchdown, but the offense lacked consistency and big plays.
• Defensive Vulnerability Against Dual-Threat QB: Texas State's Brad Jackson accounted for four touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing) and 289 total yards, exposing ULM's defense to mobile quarterbacks. The Warhawks allowed 31 points and struggled to contain Jackson's scrambling.
• Late Rally Falls Short: ULM cut the deficit to 24-14 with 7:37 left in the fourth quarter after a 10-play, 75-yard drive, but could not complete the comeback. The team showed resilience but lacked the firepower to overcome the deficit.
• Ineffective Run Game: The Warhawks' rushing attack was limited, forcing them to rely heavily on the pass. Without a balanced offense, they were unable to sustain drives or control the clock against Texas State.

Southern Miss: Key Factors

• Offensive Struggles in the Red Zone: Southern Miss managed only 18 points despite 209 passing yards and a touchdown from Braylon Braxton. The offense stalled in the red zone, settling for field goals or failing to convert drives into touchdowns, which limited their ability to keep pace with Troy.
• Defensive Lapses on Big Plays: The defense allowed three touchdown passes from Goose Crowder, including a 75-yard strike to RaRa Thomas. These explosive plays undermined otherwise solid defensive efforts, as Troy capitalized on coverage breakdowns to extend drives and secure the win.
• Turnover and Momentum Shift: A fumble recovery by Kadinn Morris in the end zone late in the third quarter pulled Southern Miss within 14-10, providing a crucial momentum swing. However, the offense could not sustain drives afterward, and the defense allowed a decisive 85-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
• Late-Game Execution Issues: Southern Miss entered the fourth quarter trailing by only four points but failed to score again after the fumble recovery touchdown. The offense went three-and-out on two key possessions, and the defense could not stop Troy's game-sealing drive, highlighting late-game execution problems.
• Three-Game Losing Streak to End Season: The loss marked Southern Miss's third consecutive defeat to close the regular season, dropping them to 7-5 overall and 5-3 in Sun Belt play. This skid raises concerns about team morale and consistency heading into a potential bowl game, where they will need to address offensive and defensive vulnerabilities.

What happened in the game?

UL Monroe travels 181 miles to this game, a short road trip.

Southern Miss won by 28 in a dominant performance.

How do UL Monroe and Southern Miss compare on power ratings?

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings favour Southern Miss (-2.6) over UL Monroe (-15.3) by 12.7 points on a neutral field. After adding home field advantage, the rating-implied line may differ meaningfully from the market spread. Southern Miss brings a meaningful home field advantage to this matchup (Blue Chip HFA: 2.1). Add this to the neutral-site differential to arrive at a venue-adjusted line.

Blue Chip Analytics power ratings represent expected point margin against an average FBS opponent on a neutral field, calculated from game data sourced via CollegeFootballData.com (CFBD). They are one input — cross-reference with the travel, rest, and weather data above before drawing conclusions.

Where can I find more data on UL Monroe and Southern Miss?

• UL Monroe team page
• Southern Miss team page
• College Football Power Ratings
• Home Field Advantage Ratings