Venue, Date & Time
Location: M.M. Roberts Stadium (“The Rock”), Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Capacity: 36,000)
Kickoff: 7:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM CT
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Hattiesburg, MS)
Conditions: Clear skies, humid Gulf South evening
Temperature: ~81°F (27°C) at kickoff, dropping into the mid-70s by the 4th quarter
Wind: 5–7 mph
Impact: Warm, sticky conditions typical of Mississippi; stamina and hydration will be factors
Injury Report
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
No major new injuries reported; QB Gavin Wimsatt and RB Cam Cook expected to start.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
WR depth thin, but Carl Chester and Elijah Metcalf are available.
No significant defensive injuries reported.
Key Player Matchups
QB Gavin Wimsatt (JSU, 557 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT; 215 rush yds, 4 TD) vs. QB Braylon Braxton (USM, 1,084 yds, 9 TD, 3 INT; 128 rush yds)
Wimsatt is a true dual-threat; Braxton is a polished passer with mobility.
RB Cam Cook (JSU, 537 yds, 4 TD, 134.3 YPG) vs. RB Jeffery Pittman (USM, 126 yds, 2 TD)
Cook is one of C-USA’s top rushers; Pittman is versatile as a runner and receiver.
WR Brock Rechsteiner (JSU, 191 yds, 2 TD) vs. WR Carl Chester (USM, 244 yds, 1 TD)
Rechsteiner is Wimsatt’s top target; Chester is Braxton’s deep threat.
LB Walker O’Steen (JSU, 18 tackles, 1 INT) vs. LB Chris Jones (USM, 19 tackles)
Both linebackers are defensive leaders who will be tasked with containing mobile QBs.
Recent Team Forms
Jacksonville State (2-2, C-USA)
W 45–10 vs. Murray State
L 30–20 @ Louisiana Tech
L 28–14 @ Coastal Carolina
W 31–7 vs. UTEP
Trend: Offense averaging 30.8 PPG, defense allowing 23 PPG.
Southern Miss (2-2, C-USA)
L 30–20 vs. Louisiana Tech
W 38–17 vs. Troy
W 28–14 vs. South Alabama
L 44–7 @ Jacksonville State (2024 rematch)
Trend: Offense averaging 28.3 PPG, defense allowing 26.5 PPG.
Conference Context
Jacksonville State: Second year in FBS, looking to prove staying power in C-USA.
Southern Miss: Longtime C-USA member, aiming to bounce back after a tough divisional loss.
Series History
All-time H2H: Southern Miss leads 2–1
First Meeting: 1937 – Southern Miss 58–0
Last Meeting (2024): Jacksonville State 44–7 win in Jacksonville, AL
Trend: Southern Miss dominated early history, but JSU won the most recent matchup in blowout fashion.
Betting Trends
Southern Miss:
2–2 ATS in 2025
2 of 4 games Over the total
1–0 ATS as favorite of 4+ points
Jacksonville State:
2–2 ATS in 2025
2 of 4 games Over the total
2–0 ATS as underdog of 4+ points
Historical Betting Results
2024: Jacksonville State +6 covered, upset Southern Miss 44–7 (Under 59.5)
1946: Southern Miss -14 covered, won 65–0
1937: Southern Miss -10 covered, won 58–0
Game Odds
Jacksonville St. Gamecocks 55.5
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles – 3.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
