Southern Miss holds off Alcorn State 26-20

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Corey Acosta kicked a career-best four field goals and Southern Miss held off Alcorn State 26-20 Saturday night. Acosta hit a 50-yard field goal for the only score of the first quarter, and tacked on a 39-yard field goal with 9 seconds left in the first half. He added field goals of 23 yards and 41 yards in the second half. Ito Smith rushed for 118 yards and Nick Mullens threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns as the Golden Eagles (1-1) won for just the second time in their last 26 games. Alcorn State (1-1) had its upset bid dashed when Jomez Applewhite picked off a John Gibbs pass with 57 seconds to play. Gibbs rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown and Darryan Ragsdale rushed for 111 yards as Alcorn State piled up 295 yards on the ground. Gibbs added 94 yards passing but was intercepted twice.