2026 Opponent Breakdown: Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Blake Anderson with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in the New Orleans Bowl. December 23, 2025 (Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com)

Arkansas State’s trip to Hattiesburg on Oct. 17 will feature more than just another Sun Belt Conference matchup.

For the first time as a head coach, Southern Miss’ Blake Anderson will stand on the opposite sideline from the Arkansas State program he helped elevate into one of the Group of Five’s premier programs.

It’s a storyline that adds another layer of intrigue to a game that could have major implications in the Sun Belt West Division.

Anderson, who led Arkansas State from 2014-20, guided the Red Wolves to six bowl appearances, two Sun Belt championships and a 51-37 record before departing for Utah State. Now, after stops in Logan and a return to the coaching ranks, he’s tasked with rebuilding one of the conference’s most tradition-rich programs.

For Arkansas State fans, it will be a reunion.

For Anderson, it will be business.