HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss will face off against James Madison in a nationally televised game on ESPN2 this Thursday night at The Rock. The question every Golden Eagles fan is asking: Which team will be on full display Thursday night? Will it be the squad from the first half of the season, or the team from the past two games that built a two-game winning streak?

After dropping five consecutive games, Southern Miss (3-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) has found much-needed momentum with back-to-back conference victories over Louisiana and ULM. Meanwhile, James Madison (7-2, 4-2 Sun Belt) enters Thursday looking to get back in the win column after dropping its last two games - both in overtime - following a 7-0 start to the season.

Over the past two weeks, the Golden Eagles have become a tight-knit football team with major improvements on both sides of the ball.  Southern Miss followed up a 35-31 Homecoming victory over Louisiana with a 35-21 road win against ULM, marking the program's first consecutive victories this season and its first road win under head coach Blake Anderson.

However, Thursday night presents a much tougher challenge. James Madison, which captured the Sun Belt championship and earned a College Football Playoff appearance last season, remains one of the conference's most talented teams despite its recent struggles. With both teams playing on a short week, Southern Miss will look to build on its recent success while James Madison hopes to avoid a third consecutive loss.

Establishing the Run: How Southern Miss Found Its Footing

The one-two punch the Golden Eagles have found in the backfield, led by Steven Robinson and Jamarice Wilder, has been a game-changer, literally and figuratively. The Golden Eagles have rushed for a combined 554 yards in their victories over Louisiana and ULM, with both running backs surpassing 100 yards in consecutive games.

Against Louisiana, Wilder led with 154 rushing yards, while Robinson picked up 145. The thunder and lightning duo followed that performance with another impressive outing at ULM, where Robinson rushed for 151 yards, and Wilder finished with 104.

It marked the first time since the 2016 season that Southern Miss had two players rush for more than 100 yards in consecutive games. Robinson enters Thursday's matchup with 728 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, while Wilder has added 476 yards and six scores. Another positive trend for Southern Miss heading into Thursday night: The Golden Eagles are 3-0 this season when both running backs score a rushing touchdown in the same game.

While the running backs have received much of the attention, offensive coordinator Kyle Cefalo credited the offensive line and tight ends for helping establish the ground game, even when injuries have forced adjustments up front.

"We had a couple of guys go down early, others filled in, and honestly, it didn't really change anything we were doing, which is always nice," Cefalo said. "We just kept calling ball plays, and the guys did a good job of executing."

Cefalo also emphasized the importance of remaining patient in the running game, especially against a defensive front capable of making things difficult early.

"We're still going to be aggressive in the run game and not only aggressive, but patient," Cefalo said. "I think we've shown that, too. You keep playing with tempo and you keep getting first downs, and then the 3- and 4-yard runs turn into big ones."

That patience could be the most important thing heading into Thursday against a James Madison defense that has allowed just 116.8 rushing yards per game this season, ranking among the Sun Belt's best.

Quarterback Decision-Making Will Be Critical

Southern Miss has found success running the ball, but Anderson and Cefalo both acknowledged that the passing game must become more consistent if the Golden Eagles hope to continue their winning streak. Quarterback Landry Lyddy has started the last five games for Southern Miss after Ethan Hampton suffered a hand injury earlier in the season.

Lyddy has completed 116 of 200 passes for 1,326 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions in eight appearances this season. He has averaged 212.2 passing yards across his five starts.

Although the Golden Eagles avoided throwing interceptions in their victory over ULM, Anderson recalled several decisions could have led to turnovers.

"I thought he did some really good things at times. I thought he forced the ball several times," Anderson said. "We talked about it pretty critically the last couple of days, about pushing the ball into harm's way."

Anderson warned that James Madison's defense may not allow those same mistakes to go without punishment on Thursday.

"We're fortunate that a couple of those ended up hitting the ground, but it's something we can't do. We sure can't do it Thursday night. These guys will not miss opportunities," Anderson said.

The Golden Eagles have struggled to find the offensive balance that the coaching staff is looking for over the last two games, with the running game carrying much of the workload. Against Louisiana, Lyddy completed 21 of 38 passes for 164 yards, his lowest passing total as a starter this season. Anderson said improving the passing game isn't solely the quarterback's responsibility. Pass protection, route running, and receivers making plays all contribute to the offense's success.

However, he also made it clear that Lyddy must understand when to take what the defense gives him instead of forcing throws downfield.

"He's got to stay within the framework of the offense and be willing to check the ball down, throw the ball away, drop the ball down under coverage," Anderson said.

The challenge Southern Miss' offense faces will be finding enough success through the air to keep James Madison from focusing entirely on stopping Robinson and Wilder. If the Dukes commit additional defenders to slowing down the rushing attack, they'll be daring the Golden Eagles' passing game to beat them.

James Madison Presents a Unique Defensive Challenge

Despite entering Thursday night’s game on a two-game losing streak, James Madison remains one of the Sun Belt's strongest defensive teams. The Dukes are allowing just 18.9 points and 352.2 total yards per game, including only 116.8 yards on the ground.

Their defensive front has also been productive in creating pressure, averaging 2.67 sacks and 6.2 tackles for loss per contest. Linebacker Nakian Jackson leads the Dukes with 66 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, while JT Hooten has recorded 58 tackles and three sacks.

James Madison's ability to bring pressure and disguise defensive looks presents a significant challenge for Southern Miss, especially with limited preparation time.

"They're good. There's no doubt about it. They're well coached, and they've got a good thing going up there," Cefalo said. "Their defense is really aggressive, with multiple looks, and they like to bring pressure."

With the Golden Eagles having success on the ground, James Madison could look to challenge Southern Miss by loading the box and forcing the offense to win through the passing game.

That would place additional responsibility on Lyddy and the receiving corps, including Mario Sanders, who leads Southern Miss with 44 receptions for 600 yards and five touchdowns.

"But we have to beat man coverage this week, which is something we're constantly harping on," Cefalo said. "We're going to have to uncover, and we have to make great decisions at quarterback."

Southern Miss has shown it can move the football over the last two weeks, but maintaining that success against a more aggressive defensive front will be the true test of how far this team has come as it enters Week 10 at home. 

Golden Eagles Defense is Building Momentum

After allowing 437 rushing yards in a 55-34 loss to Troy in early October, Southern Miss has improved in several areas, particularly in generating pressure and creating turnover opportunities. 

Against Louisiana, the Golden Eagles held the Ragin' Cajuns to 118 rushing yards and recorded three sacks. Defensive back Kolby Peavy also provided one of the biggest plays of the game, returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown during Southern Miss' fourth-quarter comeback.

The defense carried that momentum into its road matchup against ULM, recording a season-high five sacks, forcing two turnovers, and stopping the Warhawks on fourth down twice. JR Stegall led the defensive front with 1.5 sacks, while Landon Sylvie finished with a game-high 11 tackles.

Southern Miss has now recorded at least two sacks in six consecutive games, showing improvement in its ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. However, the Golden Eagles will face another challenge Thursday against a James Madison offense averaging 450.9 total yards and 39.1 points per game.

Quarterback Camden Coleman has completed 145 of 237 passes for 1,742 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Coleman has plenty of options at wide receiver as well, including Corey Scott, with 386 receiving yards and five touchdowns, and Cole Keller, with 363 yards and five scores.

The Dukes have also been productive on the ground behind running back George Pettaway, who leads the team with 824 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. James Madison averages 202.1 rushing yards per game, so Southern Miss will need to stay disciplined against both the run and the pass. For the Golden Eagles, pressuring Coleman while limiting the big plays could be a major factor in Thursday's outcome.

A Chance to Make It Three Straight at The Rock

Thursday's game will mark just the second meeting between Southern Miss and James Madison and the first time the Dukes have traveled to Hattiesburg. James Madison won the previous matchup 32-15 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, during the 2024 season.

With four games remaining in the regular season, the Golden Eagles still have an opportunity to build on their recent progress and finish the year with momentum. However, Anderson and his staff know the margin for error will be thin against a James Madison team that can capitalize on mistakes.

For Southern Miss, continuing this winning streak will require protecting the football, finding balance offensively and maintaining the defensive intensity that has helped turn the last two games into victories. It's easier said than done, but this team has grown a lot over the course of this season and is capable of doing all those things mentioned.

Southern Miss and James Madison kick off at 7 p.m. CT at The Rock (Renasant Stadium). Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles on SI over the next few days for more coverage on all things Southern Miss Football.

Also, if you're close to the Hattiesburg area, you might have a chance at your 15 minutes of fame on Sportscenter. Come out to the game and cheer on the Golden Eagles. If you can’t make it, remember the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.