HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- — Jeffery Pittman scored two rushing touchdowns, Braylon Braxton threw for two more, and Southern Miss defeated Jacksonville State, 42-25 on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles (3-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) have their first three-win September since 2016 as they conclude their non-conference slate.

After their opening drive stalled out, Southern Miss scored in under two minutes on each of their next two drives, both short rushes by Pittman. Braxton added a 6-yard rush just before the end of the first half to put the Golden Eagles up 21-3.

Jacksonville State (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) scored their first touchdown, a 4-yard reception for Brock Rechsteiner, with 4:33 to go in the third quarter.

Ian Foster had a 49-yard pick-6 with 1:27 remaining in regulation, his second pick-6 this season after a 99-yard return against App State on Sept. 14.

For the Gamecocks, Caden Creel had a career-high 161 rushing yards with one touchdown on 23 carries, and threw for 109 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Cam Cook added 77 rushing yards and one score.

The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 3-1. The schools played in 2024 for the first time since a 65-0 Southern Miss win in 1946, when the schools were known as Mississippi Southern College and Jacksonville State Teachers College.

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