Shame Mask Unity!

November 17, 2012--After 31 years, the Shame Mask spawned by Northwestern beating Northern Illinois to end their record 34-game losing streak finally meets the Shame Mask spawned by Northwestern finally beating a I-A opponent Minnesota!

Wearing the Original Shame Mask, the Miners of the University of Texas, El Paso, came into the game losers of 8 of their first 10 games. That was two more wins than the team wearing the Golden Gopher Shame Mask, Golden Eagles of the University of Southern Mississippi, had in their 10 games. After this game, there will be only one Shame Mask!

At the Sun Bowl in El Paso, UTEP got a 34-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage, but then they turned it over on downs. Three plays later, Southern Miss drew first blood with a 41-yard TD pass from Arsenio Favor to Dominique Sullivan. After a swap of field goals, the first quarter ended with Southern Miss up 10-3.

UTEP quickly overcame that by scoring two touchdowns in the first five minutes on the second quarter, but just as quickly, Southern Miss struck back with a touchdown of their own to knot the score 17-17. However, UTEP ate up the rest of the first half with a slow 11-play drive culminating with a 26-yard field goal for a 20-17 halftime lead.

This lead lasted just five minutes as Southern Miss ended an even slower 12-play drive with a 36-yard field goal to start the second half. And so they stood 20-20 going into the fourth quarter.

UTEP struck quickly with 36-yard and 32-yard passes from QB Blaire Sullivan to set up Sullivan's 9-yard TD run. After a trade of punts, Southern Miss's Favor struck again with an 81-yard TD pass to Quentin Pierce to tie the game 27 all with 6:49 left. However, UTEP's Autrey Golden returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards to retake their 7-point lead. Oh, the heartbreak! How will Southern Miss respond? Fairly well, actually. Back-to-back screen passes from Favor to Tracy Lampley for 26 and 4 yards. Then a deep pass to Francisco Llanos for 41 yards to the UTEP 15-yard-line. Jalen Richard rushes up the middle for 7 yards and then Favor follows with 6 more to set up 1st and goal at the 2. Plenty of time is left. The first run up the middle gains no yards, but then Favor runs a quarterback draw in for a touchdown with the 2:48 remaining. And Coach Johnson decides to go for two for the lead! Favor drops back to pass, but it falls incomplete. UTEP leads 34-33 with 2:48. Southern Miss, with one time out left, elects to kick it deep. They did not get the ball back.

And so the Shame Masks are now united!

Southern Miss had one game remaining, a trip to Memphis. While Southern Miss led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, Memphis dominated the next two and led 42-10 by the end of the third. Southern Miss got two fourth quarter touchdowns. Thus, Southern Miss ended the season 0-12, the only winless team in 2012.