Big Play Secures Big Easy Victory

Michael Boley was supposed to blitz but pulled up in a timely moment of recognition, poised to jump for the screen pass he suspected was coming his way.

“They ran the same play earlier in the game ... and threw it right by me,” the Southern Mississippi linebacker said. “I just kind of stopped, got in the throwing lane and luckily he threw it to me.”

Boley stretched for a two-handed grab and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, breaking open an eventual 31-10 Southern Mississippi victory over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday night.

Boley, selected the most valuable player of the first bowl of the postseason, made eight tackles, including two sacks.

Quarterback Dustin Almond threw for 247 yards. He had a touchdown pass and ran for another score in the first quarter, giving Southern Mississippi (7-5) an early lead it never relinquished in its first bowl victory in four years.

“We wanted to come out and make a statement on those opening drives,” Almond said. “We kind of got in a rut there in the third quarter, but Boley made a big play and brought the momentum back. That gave the offense some confidence and we went out there and ran the football.”

Anthony Harris had 104 yards in 14 carries for Southern Mississippi.

Tailback Jamario Thomas had 92 yards in 30 carries for North Texas (7-5). His season total of 1,801 fell 62 yards short of former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne’s freshman record of 1,863 yards.

Thomas, sidelined in the regular-season finale because of an injury, finished with an average of 179.9 yards, surpassing the previous freshman record of 158.8 yards set by Marshall Faulk of San Diego State in 1991.

North Texas’ Scott Hall was sacked six times and had only 57 yards passing through three quarters. He was 15 for 30 for 134 yards and two interceptions.