Eagles look to stay perfect in C-USA against Bearcats

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 3, 2003
HATTIESBURG The University of Southern Mississippi will put its perfect 2-0 Conference USA record on the line in a stadium where the team has not had a lot of success over the years.
The Eagles (2-2 overall) travel to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats (3-1, 1-0 C-USA) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Nippert Stadium.
USM has posted a 1-5 record on Cincinnati's home field, the Eagles' lone win at Nippert came on Nov. 1, 1997. The Bearcats won the last meeting between the two teams in Ohio 27-24 on Nov. 18, 2000.
USM will be counting on a freshman quarterback to make the necessary plays to improve to 3-0 in the conference against Cincinnati.
Damion Carter received the nod to start in place of injured junior quarterback Micky D'Angelo in the weekend contest against the Bearcats.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound New Orleans native made an impressive debut for USM in the final 10 minutes of the team's Sept. 25 loss to Nebraska.
Carter completed 13-of-17 passes for 143 yards, with touchdown, after replacing sophomore starter Dustin Almond, who went 4-for-24 for 68 yards in his start against the Cornhuskers.
Carter will be facing a defense that has struggled stopping opponent's passing attack. The Bearcats have surrendered 265.8 passing yards per game, but they have been able to stuff the run holding opponents to just 95 yards on the ground.
Cincinnati gave up 321 passing yards to Temple on Sept. 20 and 226 passing yards to Miami (Ohio) last weekend.
USM's defense will be squaring off against a much different quarterback than the signal caller it faced in Nebraska's option attack.
Cincinnati junior quarterback Gino Guidugli has completed 76-of-142 passes for 814 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception, in the first four games this season.
Running back Richard Hall has hauled in 16 of Guidugli's passes for 175 yards, and he has rushed for 441 yards and five touchdowns.