HOW IT HAPPENED
- WKU struck first on its second possession, taking a 3-0 lead with 11:38 remaining in the opening quarter after John Cannon converted a 31-yard field goal.
- Southern Miss answered late in the period, pulling ahead 7-3 on a 35-yard touchdown reception at the 4:06 mark.
- The Hilltoppers trimmed the deficit to one early in the second quarter as Cannon connected again from 31 yards out with 11:09 left before halftime.
- The Golden Eagles responded with a pair of field goals, including one as time expired in the half, to carry a 13-6 advantage into the break.
- WKU evened the score midway through the third quarter when Maverick McIvor found the end zone on an 11-yard rush to cap an 8-play, 65-yard drive, knotting the game at 13-13.
- Southern Miss regained the lead late in the period, 16-13, with a 41-yard field goal.
- The Hilltoppers went back on top early in the fourth, grinding out an 11-play, 65-yard drive that George Hart III finished with a one-yard touchdown to make it 20-16.
- WKU then delivered the dagger with 3:38 to play, as Marvis Parrish sprinted 54 yards for a score to extend the lead to 27-16 and seal the victory for the Hilltoppers.
- "I talk to the guys all the time about how magical bowl games are and how guys wait for their opportunity, and for some reason this stage, bowl games, kind of put guys on that stage. When Rodney got dinged up and we went into halftime, I said, 'What better opportunity for Maverick to go out there and be a rockstar and go lead this team.' When we said that at halftime – 'Hey Mav, you've got it, you're up, babe' – you just saw the light. The locker room lit up. We love Rodney. Rodney is awesome, too. It says a lot about how the guys feel about him and it gave us that spark. Second play of the second half we hit Noah Meyers and we fumble right there, but we're about to go in. I knew right then and there – here we go, the magic is starting. That's why bowl games are so important. That's why you play them. It's for nights like tonight. There's going to be a lot of great memories that were made tonight." – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the New Orleans Bowl win.
- "Shout out to the guys. They played really hard the whole game. Unfortunately Rodney went down. He's going to be a great player and he played good for us this season. I think when your time's called, you have to be ready to play. Going throughout all these weeks of prep, you've got to stay ready, and when your number is called, it's time for you to go out there and play good. I think today we got that done." – WKU Football quarterback Maverick McIvor, on coming off the bench in the New Orleans Bowl win over Southern Miss.
- "I would just say it was a blessing to come back. It was a tough loss last game, but Coach says, bowl games matter. Everything is on the line. We just had to come back, come out here and win." – WKU Football wide receiver Matthew Henry, on the New Orleans Bowl win over Southern Miss.
- "Just embracing the grind, you know? The good and the bad coming together. Knowing that we needed to get this win and everybody being on the same page 11 as one." – WKU Football linebacker Jaylen Wester, on the key for the defense in the New Orleans Bowl win.
Story will be updated
