2014–2026 performance history

Southern Miss over time

Season-by-season offense and defense game grades, with head-coaching changes placed on the timeline.

Sun BeltHead coach: Blake AndersonView Southern Miss games →
Offense · 2026 estimate45.5/100

49.5 average through 1 game

45.0 prior · 8 equivalent games
Defense · 2026 estimate40.9/100

50.0 average through 1 game

39.8 prior · 8 equivalent games

The trajectory

Game and Season Unit Ratings

Each small dot is one offensive or defensive game rating, arranged in the order played. For completed seasons, the short bar is that season’s average game rating. Both dot and bar values are labeled on a percentile scale. For 2026, the bar is the Bayesian estimate, while the outlined circle is the empirical games-only mean. Labeled background bands show each head coach’s era.

Southern Miss individual offense and defense game grades by seasonEach small point is one game. Horizontal bars show completed-season means and the Bayesian estimate for 2026. The outlined 2026 circle is the empirical games-only mean. Alternating labeled bands identify head-coaching eras.Monken · ’14–’15Todd Monken, 2014–2015Hopson · ’16–’19Jay Hopson, 2016–2019BillingsTim Billings, 2020Hall · ’21–’24Will Hall, 2021–2024HuffCharles Huff, 2025AndersonBlake Anderson, 2026offenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Southern Miss at Mississippi State · L 0–49; offense 3.5 percentile2014 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 26–20; offense 6.9 percentile2014 Week 3: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 12–52; offense 37.0 percentile2014 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. App State · W 21–20; offense 17.2 percentile2014 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Rice · L 23–41; offense 13.8 percentile2014 Week 6: Southern Miss at Middle Tennessee · L 31–37; offense 58.3 percentile2014 Week 8: Southern Miss at North Texas · W 30–20; offense 75.3 percentile2014 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · L 20–31; offense 19.8 percentile2014 Week 10: Southern Miss at UTEP · L 14–35; offense 17.1 percentile2014 Week 12: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 10–12; offense 14.2 percentile2014 Week 14: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 24–45; offense 12.0 percentile2015 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State · L 16–34; offense 22.7 percentile2015 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Austin Peay · W 52–6; offense 47.8 percentile2015 Week 3: Southern Miss at Texas State · W 56–50; offense 89.2 percentile2015 Week 4: Southern Miss at Nebraska · L 28–36; offense 42.5 percentile2015 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · W 49–14; offense 83.9 percentile2015 Week 6: Southern Miss at Marshall · L 10–31; offense 46.9 percentile2015 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · W 32–10; offense 68.7 percentile2015 Week 8: Southern Miss at Charlotte · W 44–10; offense 86.1 percentile2015 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 34–13; offense 88.9 percentile2015 Week 11: Southern Miss at Rice · W 65–10; offense 92.9 percentile2015 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Old Dominion · W 56–31; offense 94.5 percentile2015 Week 13: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · W 58–24; offense 87.8 percentile2015 Week 14: Southern Miss at Western Kentucky · L 28–45; offense 63.4 percentile2015 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Washington · L 31–44; offense 51.1 percentile2016 Week 1: Southern Miss at Kentucky · W 44–35; offense 72.5 percentile2016 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Savannah State · W 56–0; offense 77.3 percentile2016 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 31–37; offense 17.6 percentile2016 Week 4: Southern Miss at UTEP · W 34–7; offense 42.5 percentile2016 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 44–28; offense 75.0 percentile2016 Week 6: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 32–55; offense 76.1 percentile2016 Week 7: Southern Miss at LSU · L 10–45; offense 21.4 percentile2016 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · W 24–14; offense 6.4 percentile2016 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Charlotte · L 27–38; offense 45.8 percentile2016 Week 11: Southern Miss at Old Dominion · L 35–51; offense 56.1 percentile2016 Week 12: Southern Miss at North Texas · L 23–29; offense 14.1 percentile2016 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · W 39–24; offense 33.8 percentile2016 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · W 28–21; offense 85.7 percentile2017 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Kentucky · L 17–24; offense 2.5 percentile2017 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Southern · W 45–0; offense 28.8 percentile2017 Week 3: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · W 28–17; offense 21.8 percentile2017 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · L 28–43; offense 22.3 percentile2017 Week 6: Southern Miss at UTSA · W 31–29; offense 87.4 percentile2017 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 24–0; offense 13.3 percentile2017 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · W 34–27; offense 42.9 percentile2017 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 12–30; offense 18.7 percentile2017 Week 10: Southern Miss at Tennessee · L 10–24; offense 3.9 percentile2017 Week 11: Southern Miss at Rice · W 43–34; offense 93.9 percentile2017 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Charlotte · W 66–21; offense 91.8 percentile2017 Week 13: Southern Miss at Marshall · W 28–27; offense 67.9 percentile2017 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Florida State · L 13–42; offense 19.2 percentile2018 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Jackson State · W 55–7; offense 37.1 percentile2018 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · L 20–21; offense 13.8 percentile2018 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 40–22; offense 65.7 percentile2018 Week 5: Southern Miss at Auburn · L 13–24; offense 5.9 percentile2018 Week 7: Southern Miss at North Texas · L 7–30; offense 22.8 percentile2018 Week 8: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · W 27–17; offense 40.7 percentile2018 Week 9: Southern Miss at Charlotte · L 17–20; offense 64.6 percentile2018 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · W 26–24; offense 9.9 percentile2018 Week 11: Southern Miss at UAB · L 23–26; offense 32.1 percentile2018 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · W 21–20; offense 41.9 percentile2018 Week 13: Southern Miss at UTEP · W 39–7; offense 44.9 percentile2019 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 38–10; offense 12.2 percentile2019 Week 2: Southern Miss at Mississippi State · L 15–38; offense 29.9 percentile2019 Week 3: Southern Miss at Troy · W 47–42; offense 82.0 percentile2019 Week 4: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 7–49; offense 11.4 percentile2019 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 31–13; offense 67.8 percentile2019 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · W 45–27; offense 64.2 percentile2019 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · L 30–45; offense 68.9 percentile2019 Week 9: Southern Miss at Rice · W 20–6; offense 26.5 percentile2019 Week 11: Southern Miss vs. UAB · W 37–2; offense 73.9 percentile2019 Week 12: Southern Miss at UTSA · W 36–17; offense 24.2 percentile2019 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Western Kentucky · L 10–28; offense 25.1 percentile2019 Week 14: Southern Miss at Florida Atlantic · L 17–34; offense 25.6 percentile2019 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 13–30; offense 23.9 percentile2020 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 21–32; offense 18.6 percentile2020 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · L 30–31; offense 57.0 percentile2020 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 24–66; offense 34.8 percentile2020 Week 5: Southern Miss at North Texas · W 41–31; offense 48.9 percentile2020 Week 8: Southern Miss at Liberty · L 35–56; offense 79.2 percentile2020 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Rice · L 6–30; offense 11.2 percentile2020 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. North Alabama · W 24–13; offense 14.4 percentile2020 Week 11: Southern Miss at Western Kentucky · L 7–10; offense 20.5 percentile2020 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · L 20–23; offense 31.0 percentile2020 Week 15: Southern Miss vs. Florida Atlantic · W 45–31; offense 92.0 percentile2021 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Grambling · W 37–0; offense 29.7 percentile2021 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 9–21; offense 0.3 percentile2021 Week 4: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 14–63; offense 18.8 percentile2021 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · L 13–26; offense 10.4 percentile2021 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 0–34; offense 0.3 percentile2021 Week 9: Southern Miss at Middle Tennessee · L 10–35; offense 9.7 percentile2021 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · L 14–38; offense 24.5 percentile2021 Week 11: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 17–27; offense 10.9 percentile2021 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Florida International · W 37–17; offense 86.6 percentile2022 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Liberty · L 27–29; offense 50.8 percentile2022 Week 2: Southern Miss at Miami · L 7–30; offense 5.6 percentile2022 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Northwestern State · W 64–10; offense 36.8 percentile2022 Week 4: Southern Miss at Tulane · W 27–24; offense 25.4 percentile2022 Week 6: Southern Miss at Troy · L 10–27; offense 26.4 percentile2022 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State · W 20–19; offense 28.5 percentile2022 Week 8: Southern Miss at Texas State · W 20–14; offense 26.8 percentile2022 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · W 39–24; offense 32.1 percentile2022 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Georgia State · L 14–42; offense 2.1 percentile2022 Week 11: Southern Miss at Coastal Carolina · L 23–26; offense 32.2 percentile2022 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 20–27; offense 27.6 percentile2022 Week 13: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · W 20–10; offense 53.2 percentile2022 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 38–24; offense 59.0 percentile2023 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 40–14; offense 24.8 percentile2023 Week 2: Southern Miss at Florida State · L 13–66; offense 14.4 percentile2023 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 3–21; offense 1.0 percentile2023 Week 4: Southern Miss at Arkansas State · L 37–44; offense 75.3 percentile2023 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Texas State · L 36–50; offense 49.4 percentile2023 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. Old Dominion · L 13–17; offense 4.0 percentile2023 Week 8: Southern Miss at South Alabama · L 3–55; offense 16.6 percentile2023 Week 9: Southern Miss at App State · L 38–48; offense 90.0 percentile2023 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · W 24–7; offense 15.2 percentile2023 Week 11: Southern Miss at Louisiana · W 34–31; offense 71.6 percentile2023 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 17–35; offense 54.7 percentile2024 Week 1: Southern Miss at Kentucky · L 0–31; offense 1.5 percentile2024 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. SE Louisiana · W 35–10; offense 1.0 percentile2024 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. South Florida · L 24–49; offense 40.9 percentile2024 Week 4: Southern Miss at Jacksonville State · L 7–44; offense 7.0 percentile2024 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · L 13–23; offense 7.3 percentile2024 Week 7: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · L 21–38; offense 22.6 percentile2024 Week 8: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State · L 28–44; offense 34.8 percentile2024 Week 9: Southern Miss at James Madison · L 15–32; offense 41.2 percentile2024 Week 11: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · L 3–37; offense 0.7 percentile2024 Week 12: Southern Miss at Texas State · L 3–58; offense 1.0 percentile2024 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 14–35; offense 3.5 percentile2024 Week 14: Southern Miss at Troy · L 20–52; offense 12.1 percentile2025 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State · L 17–34; offense 6.4 percentile2025 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Jackson State · W 38–20; offense 13.1 percentile2025 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. App State · W 38–22; offense 89.0 percentile2025 Week 4: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · L 20–30; offense 36.8 percentile2025 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Jacksonville State · W 42–25; offense 75.6 percentile2025 Week 7: Southern Miss at Georgia Southern · W 38–35; offense 27.9 percentile2025 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana · W 22–10; offense 26.9 percentile2025 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · W 49–21; offense 87.8 percentile2025 Week 11: Southern Miss at Arkansas State · W 27–21; offense 73.9 percentile2025 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Texas State · L 14–41; offense 47.8 percentile2025 Week 13: Southern Miss at South Alabama · L 35–42; offense 33.7 percentile2025 Week 14: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 18–28; offense 33.0 percentile2025 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Western Kentucky · L 16–27; offense 40.0 percentile2026 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 49–3; offense 49.5 percentile2014 offense season mean: 21.1 percentile2015 offense season mean: 73.0 percentile2016 offense season mean: 46.7 percentile2017 offense season mean: 37.0 percentile2018 offense season mean: 31.6 percentile2019 offense season mean: 39.7 percentile2020 offense season mean: 40.1 percentile2021 offense season mean: 12.7 percentile2022 offense season mean: 27.8 percentile2023 offense season mean: 32.0 percentile2024 offense season mean: 8.1 percentile2025 offense season mean: 45.0 percentile2026 offense Bayesian estimate: 45.5 percentile2026 offense empirical mean: 49.5 percentiledefenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Southern Miss at Mississippi State · L 0–49; defense 35.0 percentile2014 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 26–20; defense 13.4 percentile2014 Week 3: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 12–52; defense 4.2 percentile2014 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. App State · W 21–20; defense 62.4 percentile2014 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Rice · L 23–41; defense 23.2 percentile2014 Week 6: Southern Miss at Middle Tennessee · L 31–37; defense 13.9 percentile2014 Week 8: Southern Miss at North Texas · W 30–20; defense 19.3 percentile2014 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · L 20–31; defense 56.2 percentile2014 Week 10: Southern Miss at UTEP · L 14–35; defense 87.9 percentile2014 Week 12: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 10–12; defense 72.2 percentile2014 Week 14: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 24–45; defense 7.8 percentile2015 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State · L 16–34; defense 37.7 percentile2015 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Austin Peay · W 52–6; defense 59.5 percentile2015 Week 3: Southern Miss at Texas State · W 56–50; defense 16.0 percentile2015 Week 4: Southern Miss at Nebraska · L 28–36; defense 22.4 percentile2015 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · W 49–14; defense 62.3 percentile2015 Week 6: Southern Miss at Marshall · L 10–31; defense 78.2 percentile2015 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · W 32–10; defense 73.1 percentile2015 Week 8: Southern Miss at Charlotte · W 44–10; defense 84.5 percentile2015 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 34–13; defense 65.0 percentile2015 Week 11: Southern Miss at Rice · W 65–10; defense 98.2 percentile2015 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Old Dominion · W 56–31; defense 50.1 percentile2015 Week 13: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · W 58–24; defense 79.0 percentile2015 Week 14: Southern Miss at Western Kentucky · L 28–45; defense 72.3 percentile2015 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Washington · L 31–44; defense 18.3 percentile2016 Week 1: Southern Miss at Kentucky · W 44–35; defense 26.1 percentile2016 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Savannah State · W 56–0; defense 92.9 percentile2016 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 31–37; defense 80.0 percentile2016 Week 4: Southern Miss at UTEP · W 34–7; defense 83.9 percentile2016 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 44–28; defense 43.4 percentile2016 Week 6: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 32–55; defense 18.3 percentile2016 Week 7: Southern Miss at LSU · L 10–45; defense 2.0 percentile2016 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · W 24–14; defense 90.5 percentile2016 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Charlotte · L 27–38; defense 13.9 percentile2016 Week 11: Southern Miss at Old Dominion · L 35–51; defense 68.1 percentile2016 Week 12: Southern Miss at North Texas · L 23–29; defense 60.7 percentile2016 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · W 39–24; defense 99.5 percentile2016 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · W 28–21; defense 51.5 percentile2017 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Kentucky · L 17–24; defense 90.4 percentile2017 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Southern · W 45–0; defense 86.5 percentile2017 Week 3: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · W 28–17; defense 92.3 percentile2017 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · L 28–43; defense 42.7 percentile2017 Week 6: Southern Miss at UTSA · W 31–29; defense 33.9 percentile2017 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 24–0; defense 92.9 percentile2017 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · W 34–27; defense 89.4 percentile2017 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 12–30; defense 61.2 percentile2017 Week 10: Southern Miss at Tennessee · L 10–24; defense 72.7 percentile2017 Week 11: Southern Miss at Rice · W 43–34; defense 14.6 percentile2017 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Charlotte · W 66–21; defense 65.5 percentile2017 Week 13: Southern Miss at Marshall · W 28–27; defense 76.8 percentile2017 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Florida State · L 13–42; defense 7.9 percentile2018 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Jackson State · W 55–7; defense 64.7 percentile2018 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · L 20–21; defense 75.0 percentile2018 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 40–22; defense 40.2 percentile2018 Week 5: Southern Miss at Auburn · L 13–24; defense 74.6 percentile2018 Week 7: Southern Miss at North Texas · L 7–30; defense 57.8 percentile2018 Week 8: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · W 27–17; defense 80.3 percentile2018 Week 9: Southern Miss at Charlotte · L 17–20; defense 71.5 percentile2018 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · W 26–24; defense 66.6 percentile2018 Week 11: Southern Miss at UAB · L 23–26; defense 91.2 percentile2018 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · W 21–20; defense 53.4 percentile2018 Week 13: Southern Miss at UTEP · W 39–7; defense 89.0 percentile2019 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 38–10; defense 45.4 percentile2019 Week 2: Southern Miss at Mississippi State · L 15–38; defense 30.3 percentile2019 Week 3: Southern Miss at Troy · W 47–42; defense 28.8 percentile2019 Week 4: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 7–49; defense 18.6 percentile2019 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · W 31–13; defense 32.8 percentile2019 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · W 45–27; defense 50.6 percentile2019 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · L 30–45; defense 32.5 percentile2019 Week 9: Southern Miss at Rice · W 20–6; defense 94.7 percentile2019 Week 11: Southern Miss vs. UAB · W 37–2; defense 94.5 percentile2019 Week 12: Southern Miss at UTSA · W 36–17; defense 54.6 percentile2019 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Western Kentucky · L 10–28; defense 66.2 percentile2019 Week 14: Southern Miss at Florida Atlantic · L 17–34; defense 36.9 percentile2019 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 13–30; defense 72.0 percentile2020 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 21–32; defense 2.5 percentile2020 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech · L 30–31; defense 7.0 percentile2020 Week 4: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 24–66; defense 0.8 percentile2020 Week 5: Southern Miss at North Texas · W 41–31; defense 57.4 percentile2020 Week 8: Southern Miss at Liberty · L 35–56; defense 13.3 percentile2020 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Rice · L 6–30; defense 10.6 percentile2020 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. North Alabama · W 24–13; defense 73.5 percentile2020 Week 11: Southern Miss at Western Kentucky · L 7–10; defense 75.4 percentile2020 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. UTSA · L 20–23; defense 72.8 percentile2020 Week 15: Southern Miss vs. Florida Atlantic · W 45–31; defense 24.6 percentile2021 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Grambling · W 37–0; defense 79.0 percentile2021 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 9–21; defense 68.9 percentile2021 Week 4: Southern Miss at Alabama · L 14–63; defense 4.1 percentile2021 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. UTEP · L 13–26; defense 45.1 percentile2021 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. UAB · L 0–34; defense 32.7 percentile2021 Week 9: Southern Miss at Middle Tennessee · L 10–35; defense 50.4 percentile2021 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. North Texas · L 14–38; defense 7.4 percentile2021 Week 11: Southern Miss at UTSA · L 17–27; defense 54.7 percentile2021 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Florida International · W 37–17; defense 19.0 percentile2022 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Liberty · L 27–29; defense 59.2 percentile2022 Week 2: Southern Miss at Miami · L 7–30; defense 11.2 percentile2022 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Northwestern State · W 64–10; defense 83.9 percentile2022 Week 4: Southern Miss at Tulane · W 27–24; defense 72.3 percentile2022 Week 6: Southern Miss at Troy · L 10–27; defense 48.4 percentile2022 Week 7: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State · W 20–19; defense 51.1 percentile2022 Week 8: Southern Miss at Texas State · W 20–14; defense 89.0 percentile2022 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · W 39–24; defense 58.5 percentile2022 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. Georgia State · L 14–42; defense 15.7 percentile2022 Week 11: Southern Miss at Coastal Carolina · L 23–26; defense 39.7 percentile2022 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 20–27; defense 47.5 percentile2022 Week 13: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · W 20–10; defense 88.4 percentile2022 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Rice · W 38–24; defense 77.6 percentile2023 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 40–14; defense 41.2 percentile2023 Week 2: Southern Miss at Florida State · L 13–66; defense 2.0 percentile2023 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. Tulane · L 3–21; defense 62.1 percentile2023 Week 4: Southern Miss at Arkansas State · L 37–44; defense 10.2 percentile2023 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Texas State · L 36–50; defense 10.6 percentile2023 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. Old Dominion · L 13–17; defense 58.1 percentile2023 Week 8: Southern Miss at South Alabama · L 3–55; defense 0.4 percentile2023 Week 9: Southern Miss at App State · L 38–48; defense 8.6 percentile2023 Week 10: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · W 24–7; defense 50.5 percentile2023 Week 11: Southern Miss at Louisiana · W 34–31; defense 67.4 percentile2023 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 17–35; defense 53.5 percentile2024 Week 1: Southern Miss at Kentucky · L 0–31; defense 0.9 percentile2024 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. SE Louisiana · W 35–10; defense 42.0 percentile2024 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. South Florida · L 24–49; defense 1.3 percentile2024 Week 4: Southern Miss at Jacksonville State · L 7–44; defense 9.0 percentile2024 Week 6: Southern Miss vs. Louisiana · L 13–23; defense 47.7 percentile2024 Week 7: Southern Miss at UL Monroe · L 21–38; defense 26.7 percentile2024 Week 8: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State · L 28–44; defense 10.1 percentile2024 Week 9: Southern Miss at James Madison · L 15–32; defense 94.0 percentile2024 Week 11: Southern Miss vs. Marshall · L 3–37; defense 24.2 percentile2024 Week 12: Southern Miss at Texas State · L 3–58; defense 3.4 percentile2024 Week 13: Southern Miss vs. South Alabama · L 14–35; defense 54.4 percentile2024 Week 14: Southern Miss at Troy · L 20–52; defense 22.5 percentile2025 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Mississippi State · L 17–34; defense 10.4 percentile2025 Week 2: Southern Miss vs. Jackson State · W 38–20; defense 16.7 percentile2025 Week 3: Southern Miss vs. App State · W 38–22; defense 52.2 percentile2025 Week 4: Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech · L 20–30; defense 68.5 percentile2025 Week 5: Southern Miss vs. Jacksonville State · W 42–25; defense 59.9 percentile2025 Week 7: Southern Miss at Georgia Southern · W 38–35; defense 61.9 percentile2025 Week 8: Southern Miss at Louisiana · W 22–10; defense 74.7 percentile2025 Week 9: Southern Miss vs. UL Monroe · W 49–21; defense 24.6 percentile2025 Week 11: Southern Miss at Arkansas State · W 27–21; defense 58.8 percentile2025 Week 12: Southern Miss vs. Texas State · L 14–41; defense 23.0 percentile2025 Week 13: Southern Miss at South Alabama · L 35–42; defense 36.7 percentile2025 Week 14: Southern Miss vs. Troy · L 18–28; defense 11.0 percentile2025 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Western Kentucky · L 16–27; defense 45.2 percentile2026 Week 1: Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State · W 49–3; defense 50.0 percentile2014 defense season mean: 32.2 percentile2015 defense season mean: 60.9 percentile2016 defense season mean: 59.5 percentile2017 defense season mean: 66.4 percentile2018 defense season mean: 71.3 percentile2019 defense season mean: 53.1 percentile2020 defense season mean: 24.9 percentile2021 defense season mean: 36.1 percentile2022 defense season mean: 58.1 percentile2023 defense season mean: 24.1 percentile2024 defense season mean: 20.9 percentile2025 defense season mean: 39.8 percentile2026 defense Bayesian estimate: 40.9 percentile2026 defense empirical mean: 50.0 percentile2014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Individual gameSeason bar · 2026 is the estimate2026 empirical meanCoaching-era band
2016Jay Hopson
2020Tim Billings / Scotty Walden / Jay Hopson
2021Will Hall
2024Will Hall / Reed Stringer
2025Charles Huff / Blake Anderson
2026Blake Anderson

How to read 2026

The current-season estimate intelligently blends last season with new data.

The 2026 estimate is a Bayesian weighted average of normal-score Z-values. The 2025 season mean counts like 8 games of prior evidence; each completed 2026 game counts once. The result is then translated back to the 0–100 percentile scale.

2026 Z = (8 × 2025 mean Z + games played × 2026 mean Z) ÷ (8 + games played)

Season record

Every annual grade and coach

Retrospective rows average the available single-game grades in normal-score space. The result is shown as a percentile. Roughly speaking, a 95th-percentile season corresponds to about the eighth-best team in a 160-team field.

SeasonHead coachGamesOffenseDefense
2026Live estimateBlake AndersonCoaching change1
45.5 estimate49.5 games-only average
40.9 estimate50.0 games-only average
2025Charles Huff / Blake AndersonCoaching change1345.039.8
2024Will Hall / Reed StringerCoaching change128.120.9
2023Will Hall1132.024.1
2022Will Hall1327.858.1
2021Will HallCoaching change912.736.1
2020Tim Billings / Scotty Walden / Jay HopsonCoaching change1040.124.9
2019Jay Hopson1339.753.1
2018Jay Hopson1131.671.3
2017Jay Hopson1337.066.4
2016Jay HopsonCoaching change1346.759.5
2015Todd Monken1473.060.9
2014Todd Monken1121.132.2