After last season’s Armed Forces Bowl, Southern Miss fans were hoping to see a different result when Tulane came to town on Saturday. This game, after all, was an unplanned contest that had given the Golden Eagles the perfect opportunity to reclaim the prized trophy that has traded hands between the schools in their storied rivalry: a large bell.
The rightfully named “Battle for the Bell” between Tulane and USM was not supposed to see its next installation until 2022 but the Covid-19 pandemic bumped that up by a few years. Golden Eagles fans, however, will have to wait until then (at least) to reclaim their beloved bell.