​Blake Anderson will have his hands full in his first season as the coach of Southern Miss football.The Golden Eagles lost 38 players to the transfer portal and is returning one starter: Offensive lineman Broderick Roman.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBetMGM lists Southern Miss’ win total at 4.5 games.Here is how each game on the Golden Eagles’ schedule ranks, from easiest to hardest.The Braves finished the 2025 season with momentum, winning five of their final seven games, but the Golden Eagles will be the more talented team and should have enough to begin Anderson’s tenure with a win (4 p.m. CT, ESPN+).1 / 8Southern Miss head coach Blake Anderson speaks to the fans during a spring game at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Saturday, April 18, 2026.(Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger)Louisiana Monroe lost its leading rusher and four of its five starters on the offensive line. Southern Miss beat ULM 49-21 at home in 2025 and it should be able to manage a similar result in 2026.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSouthern Miss enters this game coming off a road game against Auburn and might be in need of a bounce-back win, but UConn will be a test. After winning a combined 10 games from 2021 to 2023, the Huskies have won nine games in each of the past two seasons.Both teams underwent a coaching change and significant roster turnover, which makes the matchup a difficult one to predict. The Golden Eagles being the home team likely gives them an edge (6 p.m. CT, ESPN+).Southern Miss plays South Alabama in its penultimate game of the season. Depending on how the previous games went, winning this game could be a crucial one in clinching a bowl berth. The Jaguars lost a lot of talent in the transfer portal across the board, but quarterback Bishop Davenport returns for his second season as the team’s starter.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementArkansas State won seven games and a bowl last season, but it lost prolific quarterback Jaylen Raynor to Iowa State in the portal. Despite his departure, the Red Wolves have the returning talent to put together another competitive season.There is a four-man quarterback competition underway at Arkansas State. It’s hard to know how the Red Wolves will look next season without having seen what their quarterback play looks like, but this will be a challenge for Southern Miss no matter who is taking the snaps behind center.Louisiana Tech returning tight end Eli Finley caught six passes for 154 yards in a 30-20 win over Southern Miss last season. Quarterback Blake Baker, who threw for 238 yards in that game, is also back. New Southern Miss defensive coordinator Joe Bolden will have to find a way to limit that pair.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Ragin’ Cajuns retained seven starters on the offensive side of the ball, four of whom are offensive linemen. Starting dual-threat quarterback Lunch Winfield, who took over as Louisiana’s starter midway through last season, will have the pieces