The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Rivalry in Dixie

Southern Miss20-13Louisiana Tech
Regional Program IV#121 of 138–Regional Program III#103 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
Next meeting: Sat Nov 14 · time TBA, 10 days away.

1 player crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Southern Miss leads the all-time series 20-13. They've met 33 times since 1963.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Southern Miss
Transfer portal
+0
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +32
Louisiana Tech
Transfer portal
-14
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -35

Stature & the series, 1963–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeSouthern MissLouisiana Techevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Southern Miss won, gray: Louisiana Tech won)198020002020

The identity war

Louisiana Tech has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Southern Miss led 10 and Louisiana Tech led 13.

more passmore runSouthern MissLouisiana Tech2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262025Southern Miss 12.2 ptsLouisiana Tech won 30-202021Louisiana Tech 11.5 ptsSouthern Miss won 35-192012Louisiana Tech 11.0 pts
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Southern Miss once won 4 in a row. The biggest win was Southern Miss by 51 in 1967. The biggest crowd, 26,164, was in 2016.

The coaching duels

Jay Hopson vs Skip Holtz3-1
Bobby Collins vs Maxie Lambright1-2
Todd Monken vs Skip Holtz1-2
Jeff Bower vs Joe Peace1-1
Larry Fedora vs Sonny Dykes2-0

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
56-42
Southern Miss leads
1st-rounders
4-5
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
Southern MissLouisiana Tech
1960s2-1
1970s6-6
1980s7-5
1990s11-6
2000s19-7
2010s9-14
2020s2-3

Best picks, either side

1970Terry Bradshaw Quarterback · Pittsburgh SteelersRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1993Willie Roaf Offensive Tackle · New Orleans SaintsRd 1, pick 8#8 overall
1999Troy Edwards Wide Receiver · Pittsburgh SteelersRd 1, pick 13#13 overall
1992Tony Smith Running Back · Atlanta FalconsRd 1, pick 19#19 overall
1981Hanford Dixon Defensive Back · Cleveland BrownsRd 1, pick 22#22 overall
1973Ray Guy Punter · Oakland RaidersRd 1, pick 23#23 overall
1984Louis Lipps Wide Receiver · Pittsburgh SteelersRd 1, pick 23#23 overall
1974Roger Carr Wide Receiver · Baltimore ColtsRd 1, pick 24#24 overall

Recent meetings

2025Louisiana Tech30-20
2021Southern Miss35-19Louisiana Tech — Louisiana Tech favored by 15.5
2020Louisiana Tech31-30
2019Louisiana Tech45-30
2018Southern Miss21-20
2017Southern Miss34-27
2016Southern Miss39-24Louisiana Tech — Louisiana Tech favored by 13.5
2015Southern Miss58-24Louisiana Tech — Louisiana Tech routed by 34
2014Louisiana Tech31-20
2013Louisiana Tech36-13
2011Southern Miss19-17
2010Southern Miss13-12
1992Southern Miss16-13
1991Louisiana Tech30-14

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Southern Miss’s chance to win through that meeting. Southern Miss is 1-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2025Louisiana Tech 30-20Southern Miss lost 20-30 at Louisiana Tech. Chance to win started at 31%, low under 1%, high 34%.
2020Louisiana Tech 31-30Southern Miss lost 30-31 vs Louisiana Tech. Chance to win started at 71%, low under 1%, high 96%.
2019Louisiana Tech 45-30Southern Miss lost 30-45 at Louisiana Tech. Chance to win started at 74%, low 1%, high 88%.
2018Southern Miss 21-20Southern Miss won 21-20 vs Louisiana Tech. Chance to win started at 49%, low 14%, high 81%.