HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) _ Jeff Kelly threw two touchdowns and ran for another one as Southern Mississippi beat I-AA Northwestern State 40-6 Saturday night.

Southern Miss (2-0), which beat Tulane 48-14 on Labor Day, had over 200 return yards off blocked field goals, extra points, and fumbles in the game. Northwestern State (0-2), ranked 15th in Division I-AA, could not put together any offense against the Golden Eagles.

The Demons' special teams blocked two field-goal attempts.

Ty Trayhan blocked one in the second quarter and Roy Magee returned it 48 yards for a touchdown to give the Golden Eagles a 21-0 lead.

Kelly, making his second college start, kept the ball on a bootleg to open the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown run just two minutes into the first quarter.

Kelly, who was 13-for-21 passing, added a 6-yard TD pass to Dannye Fowler to put Golden Eagles ahead 14-0. Adalius Thomas ran 64 yards on a fumble recovery to give Southern Miss a 31-0 lead at the half.

The Golden Eagles, who play No. 5 Nebraska next week, won the game despite playing without starting wide receiver Sherrod Gideon and safety Leo Barnes. Both players were suspended by coach Jeff Bower earlier in the week for violating team rules.

Derrick Nix rushed for 100 yards for the Golden Eagles.

Kelly hit Todd Pinkston with a 25-yard TD pass in the third quarter to extend the lead to 38-0.

Northwestern State scored its only touchdown with 29 seconds remaining on Tony Taylor's 2-yard run. Magee returned the blocked extra-point attempt for two points to end the scoring.

Taylor led Northwestern State in rushing with 71 yards on 28 carries.