Southern Miss football rolls on Homecoming: Golden Eagles bury ULM behind Braylon Braxton’s balance and a late avalanche

Southern Miss football turned its Homecoming into a statement on Saturday in Hattiesburg, powering past UL Monroe with a wave of second-half scores, explosive plays, and a defense that squeezed the Warhawks into long fields. Late in the fourth quarter, the Golden Eagles led 49–21 at M. M. Roberts Stadium, a margin built on complementary football and timely finishing in the red zone. This is a developing game; details may update with the final whistle.

How Southern Miss football took control

The opening half zigzagged before the hosts stamped their authority after the break. Quarterback Braylon Braxton settled early behind a balanced call sheet—RPOs, quick game, and selected deep shots—then started landing bigger punches once the run game forced ULM’s safeties to play honest. The turning point arrived out of halftime: a methodical third-quarter drive restored a two-score cushion and reset momentum in front of a full Homecoming crowd.

Two explosive bookends framed the performance:

• Vertical strike: Tychaun Chapman broke free for a 39-yard touchdown in the second quarter, the night’s first true deep-shot payoff and a sign that Southern Miss could win outside the numbers.

• Closer’s touch: With under five minutes left, Jaylin Carter ripped a 27-yard TD run, the dagger on a night when the ground game kept improving as ULM wore down.

Defense, special teams, and the hidden yardage edge

While the headline numbers sit with the offense, the defense earned the script. Southern Miss consistently won first down, forcing ULM into predictable looks and letting simulated pressures muddy the quarterback’s reads. In coverage, the back seven capped seams and rallied on perimeter throws, turning potential YAC into modest gains.

Special teams layered on quiet advantages: touchbacks to neutralize returns, directional punts that pinned the Warhawks near their 20, and a clean place-kicking night that kept the scoreboard moving after long drives. In a game that threatened to become a track meet, those hidden yards throttled ULM’s pace.

Key moments for Southern Miss football

(Game state noted near the times listed; sequence may finalize slightly with the closing minutes.)

What’s working—and why it travels into November

1) Scripted rhythm, then calculated shots. Southern Miss football didn’t chase explosives; it earned them. Early drives lived in the 5–12 yard window—glance routes, hitches, and crossers—until ULM tilted its shell. Only then did the staff layer deep posts and go balls.

2) Rest-defense discipline. Even when the Eagles pushed both tackles and a tight end forward, a backer or safety stayed home to choke off counters. That patience limited ULM’s chance to flip the field with a single busted fit.

3) Situational ruthlessness. Third-and-medium belonged to the hosts. Mesh and option routes kept the sticks moving; QB movement (half-roll, sprint-out) changed launch points and blunted pressures.

The wider picture for Southern Miss football

Beyond Homecoming optics, this win underscores a larger climb: the Golden Eagles are stacking results with a profile that plays in conference races—efficient first downs, red-zone touchdowns over field goals, and a defense that refuses freebies. Entering the weekend, Southern Miss had already built momentum with league victories; by the time the stadium lights dim, the line will read even stronger, with the program remaining unbeaten in Sun Belt play and extending its October surge.

Depth matters here as well. The fourth-quarter separation allowed rotation snaps across the front seven and receiver room, preserving legs for a November grind that includes pivotal divisional dates. The backs ran with intent, the line leaned on a tiring front, and the perimeter group blocked well enough to spring the late home-run run—traits that translate when weather tightens and possessions shrink.

What’s next

Expect opponents to prioritize two counters:

• Press + post-safety patience to crowd quick game while keeping a lid on Chapman’s vertical threat.

• Edge setting to force the run back into help and deny Carter and the backs clean bounce lanes.

Southern Miss has answers—condensed formations, motion to manufacture free releases, and the same QB movement that undermined ULM’s rush. Keep the turnover margin clean, and this blueprint carries.

On Homecoming, Southern Miss football delivered exactly what a contender should: control early, composure through turbulence, and a ruthless close. With Braylon Braxton directing traffic, Tychaun Chapman stretching the field, Jaylin Carter finishing with a flourish, and a disciplined defense winning the math, the Golden Eagles sent their fans into the Hattiesburg night with a scoreboard that matched the noise. If this is the gear they keep, November won’t just be about celebration—it will be about stakes.