It's all uphill for USM . . .

 

For the first time since 1998, Southern Miss football is off to an 0-2 start.

For the first time in 14 years, the Golden Eagles lost their home opener.

For the first time since October of 2010, USM lost a home game.

Simply put, following Saturday's 24-14 loss to East Carolina, USM football and first-year head coach Ellis Johnson face the biggest uphill climb Golden Eagle football has faced in years.

Clearly at stake: a streak of 17 straight winning seasons and a streak of 10 consecutive seasons that ended in bowl games.

USM out-gained East Carolina 324 to 228, but in this case statistics were clearly for the losers. The stat that mattered most: turnovers, which showed USM with three and East Carolina with not one.

The third quarter was a USM disaster. Leading 7-3 at halftime the Golden Eagles turned the ball over three times and were outscored 21-0. Anthony Alford, making his first start, showed flashes of the ability that made him Mississippi's Mr. Football as a high school senior, but he was often inaccurate with his passes and his reads.

Chris Campbell, who started USM's first game against Nebraska, relieved Alford late in the third quarter and showed more passing accuracy throwing for 145 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson and offensive staff have a decision to make before next Saturday's game at Western Kentucky in a rare must-win September game for the Eagles. Lost that one and Eagles would be 0-3 going into a three-game stretch against 19^th ranked Louisville, Boise State and Central Florida. USM no doubt will be underdogs in all three.

Johnson said afterward the quarterback job is “back open.”

“It's definitely a question right now,” Johnson said. “It's not one we can answer just coming off the game field.”

The guess here: Campbell will start and Alford will be used in short yardage situations. Regardless, USM must play better in all areas if the Eagles are to experience an 18^th consecutive winning season.