where s the beef|Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl: What bettors need to know :where s the beef :Louisville and Southern Miss didn't play for conference championships this season, but both programs came closer than many outside of Louisville and Hattiesburg may have realized.
The Cardinals improved by two games, from 4-8 to 6-6, in a weakened Big East. Louisville plays solid defense and has one elite difference-maker on offense (running back Bilal Powell).
The 2010 campaign marked the 17th straight winning season for the Golden Eagles. Enter Charlie Strong this season and some low expectations. Point Spread: Southern Miss +2.5. Louisville’s Edge: Bilal Powell. A first-team all-Big East performer this season, Powell used his blend of size and speed to rush for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns. On the season, the junior passed for 2,898 yards and 18 scores while chipping in 10 rushing touchdowns.
Froman took the bulk of the snaps and averaged 204 yards per game through eight games while throwing 11 touchdowns.
Louisville - TE Cameron Graham, RB Bilal Powell, CB Johnny Patrick
Bowl History: Southern Miss - The Golden Eagles are 9-11 all-time in bowl games and will be making their ninth straight bowl appearance. Louisville rush offense vs. Southern Miss rush defense: Despite being hobbled by injuries late in the season, senior Bilal Powell averaged 120.9 rushing yards per game. Southern Miss has a highly ranked but inconsistent run defense. Edge: Louisville.
Louisville pass offense vs. Southern Miss pass defense: Senior Justin Burke will start his fifth consecutive game in place of Adam Froman, who missed the last part of the season with a thigh bruise. Southern Miss' pass defense has been awful recently. The Eagles allowed a combined 873 passing yards in the past two games (Houston and Tulsa) and 21 touchdown passes in the past seven games. Edge: Louisville.
Southern Miss rush offense vs. Louisville rush defense: Southern Miss has three capable backs. QB Austin Davis can move a little, too; he rushed for 436 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns. Louisville's run defense has struggled at times, but the Cardinals held Jordan Todman to a season-low 80 yards in a shutout of Connecticut. Edge: Southern Miss.
Southern Miss pass offense vs. Louisville pass defense: With touted junior WR DeAndre Brown injured for most of the season, Davis has spread the ball around. That kind of
