AAC Football: Top 5 expansion candidates for the conference

Southern Miss was once one of those mid-major independents that were more prevalent in college football. The Golden Eagles were one of the founding members of Conference USA back in 1996, at a time when conference affiliation was become more critical for college football teams. Southern Miss immediately won three of the first four C-USA titles.

They claimed another C-USA championship in 2003, then ruined Houston’s shot at a BCS bowl game in 2011 with a fifth conference title. After that last championship, though, Larry Fedora left Hattiesburg to take over the North Carolina job. The past six years have been a roller coaster, as Southern Miss went three straight years without a bowl appearance.

Since 2015, though, the Golden Eagles have started to turn things around. Todd Monken left to take over as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jay Hopson took over the head coaching post and has gone 15-11 in his first two seasons.

After two decades in Conference USA, a change in affiliation could help Southern Miss take the next leap. The Golden Eagles would offer an inroad into recruiting the Deep South, as they fill the gap between the Atlantic seaboard and the West Division teams in Houston, Dallas, Tulsa, and Memphis.