Southern Miss picked by C-USA SID's to repeat
June 7, 2000
Official C-USA press release
CHICAGO - Southern Miss has been chosen to repeat as Conference USA's football champion in 2000, according to a poll taken by the league's Sports Information Directors at C-USA's annual SID meetings in Chicago this past week.
The Golden Eagles received 77 of a possible 81 points, garnering five first place votes. Southern Miss is coming off a 9-3 season in which it finished the season ranked as high No. 13 in the final polls. The Golden Eagles will aim for their fourth regular season league title in five years with the help of 15 returning starters. Junior running back Derrick Nix is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, while defensive lineman Cedric Scott leads a Golden Eagle defense that ranked first in C-USA last season.
East Carolina, which received the other four first place votes, was selected to place second. The Pirates were 9-3 in 1999 and represented C-USA in the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl. Junior David Garrard, who passed for 2,359 yards and rushed for 493 more this past season, quarterbacks ECU's offense, while junior linebacker Pernell Griffin spearheads the Pirates defense.
Louisville edged out Houston for third place. The Cardinals are aiming for their third straight bowl game under John L. Smith and will continue to feature a high-powered offense, including record-setting wide receiver Arnold Jackson. The Cougars open a new era under first-year head coach Dana Dimel, who will count upon quarterback Jason McKinley and all-conference wide receivers Jerrian James and Orlando Iglesias to lead UH to another winning season.
Memphis was picked fifth, followed by UAB, Tulane, Cincinnati and Army. Memphis and UAB each feature solid defenses and both teams will look to build on last year's second place conference finishes. Tulane had one of the most productive passing games in the nation last season, led by record-setting quarterback Patrick Ramsey. Cincinnati has a solid quarterback In Deontey Kenner, while Army will have a completely new look this fall under first-year mentor Todd Berry.
The 2000 season will get underway on Saturday, September 2. The conference champion will receive a bid to the AXA Liberty Bowl on December 29 in Memphis, Tenn. Other guaranteed bowl slots include the Mobile Alabama Bowl and the first-year galleryfurniture.com Bowl in Houston, Texas.
Poll Results Pts. (first place votes)
1. Southern Miss 77 (5)
2. East Carolina 76 (4)
3. Louisville 56
4. Houston 52
5. Memphis 44
6. UAB 39
7. Tulane 24
8. Cincinnati 22
9. Army 15
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