The Eagles are the football team of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, also known as Southern Miss or USM. They compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the NCAA and play in the Sun Belt Conference.
Southern Miss claims 2 national titles from its time in the NCAA Division II, as well as 8 conference titles. Originally an Independent college, the Eagles joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1931, and 10 years later moved to the Gulf States Conference. In 1996, the team became a member of Conference USA in the FBS, where they remained until 2022, when they joined the Sun Belt Conference.
The Eagles have played in 24 major bowl games, with a record of 11-13. Their most recent effort came in 2019, when they were defeated by Tulane in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Southern Miss maintains rivalries with Louisiana Tech, Memphis, and Tulane. The Eagles play their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium.