Interceptions sink 49ers in 66-21 loss to Southern Miss
Kelsey Douglas returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and Southern Mississippi piled up 584 yards of offense Saturday as the Golden Eagles rolled past Charlotte 66-21 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
The 49ers fell behind 27-0 early in the second quarter, thanks in large part to Douglas, a senior safety.
With the host Golden Eagles ahead 3-0 midway in the first quarter, Douglas picked off a tipped pass near midfield and raced 52 yards for a touchdown. His second pick-six came on a pass in which 49er quarterback Hasaan Klugh was hit while throwing the ball. Douglas grabbed the ball at the Charlotte 48 and ran in for the score.
Klugh (56 yards rushing) and running backs Benny LeMay (45 yards) and Aaron McAllister (41 yards) were held in check by the Golden Eagles, who limited Charlotte to an average of 3.7 yards per offensive play.
The game was decided early, and the first half was 30 minutes of mostly frustration for the 49ers.
An excellent example of that came on Southern Mississippi’s final possession of the second quarter. Charlotte’s Markevis Davis picked off a Kwadra Griggs pass and returned it to the Golden Eagles’ 7. But the 49ers were called for roughing the passer, so the interception was negated.
Southern Mississippi proceeded to march to the Charlotte 4 and scored on a field goal as time expired in the half. That gave the Golden Eagles a 38-7 lead.
Records: Charlotte is 1-10, 1-6; Southern Mississippi is 7-4, 5-2.
3 who mattered
Kelsey Douglas (Southern Mississippi): The Golden Eagles’ senior nickel back had a career day, with two interceptions for touchdowns and 100 yards in returns.
Ito Smith (Southern Mississippi): A 5-9 senior running back, Smith carried 15 times for 153 yards and three touchdowns. His final score came on an 80-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Chris Montgomery (Charlotte): A senior from Burns High in Cleveland County, Montgomery returned three kickoffs for an average of 37 yards. His longest return was for 65 yards, and he nearly broke that for a touchdown.
Observations
▪ Junior quarterback Kwadra Griggs had an efficient day for the Golden Eagles, completing 20 of 27 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers’ Klugh was 9-of-25 for 96 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions.
▪ As usual, 49ers’ punter Arthur Hart had a big day, kicking seven times for a 44.3-yard average. One of his kicks traveled 56 yards.
▪ When Southern Mississippi were stopped on downs midway in the second quarter, it was the Golden Eagles’ first punt in two weeks. They scored on every possession except the last against Rice a week ago.
Worth mentioning
▪ The teams had played twice previously, with the road team winning each time. The Golden Eagles won at Charlotte in 2015, and the 49ers turned the same trick last fall in Hattiesburg.
▪ The 49ers were the sixth straight opponent to be shut out in the first quarter by Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles have piled up a 98-27 scoring edge during that stretch.
▪ It was a blustery day in Hattiesburg, with the wind often gusting to 25 mph. The ball fell off the tee several times while teams lined up for kickoffs.
They said it
“We couldn’t handle them up front — we couldn’t block them. They got after us pretty good in our run game.” - Charlotte coach Brad Lambert said of the Golden Eagles.
What’s next?
▪ Charlotte finishes with a 2 p.m. home game next Saturday against Florida Atlantic; Southern Mississippi plays next Saturday at Marshall.
This story was originally published November 18, 2017 at 7:40 PM with the headline "Interceptions sink 49ers in 66-21 loss to Southern Miss."