Boise State takes advantage of turnovers

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Joe Southwick threw for three touchdowns and Boise State took advantage of five turnovers to breeze past Southern Mississippi 40-14 Saturday.

The Broncos (4-1) won their fourth straight by intercepting Golden Eagles quarterback Ricky Lloyd twice and recovering three of four fumbles by Southern Miss, which is 0-5 for the first time since 1976.

The 5-1 edge in turnovers came one week after coach Chris Peterson’s team used three New Mexico fumbles to survive a 32-29 scare.

“I don’t know how we keep getting turnovers,” Peterson said. “But it sure makes things different for us. I’m not sure why we’re getting them – whether we’re just in the right place at the right time or what – but as long as they are coming like they did today, we’re going to be in every game and we have a chance to win most of them.”

The first interception came on Lloyd’s fifth attempt of the game and set up Southwick’s 11-yard scoring pass to Matt Miller that put the Broncos on top 7-0. Linebacker Tyler Gray returned his first-career interception 34 yards to the Golden Eagles’ 11-yard line, and Southwick and Miller connected on the ensuing play.

The lead swelled to 24-0 at the half when another Southern Miss turnover set up Southwick’s second TD, a 33-yard strike to Chris Potter with 6 seconds left in the second quarter.

That proved to be an insurmountable deficit for the Golden Eagles.

“That was nice to get that score there,” Southwick said. “We got the ball back after another turnover, and we’re thinking, ‘Let’s just get into field goal range.’ Luckily, (Potter) was able to get free and get some separation. I didn’t think he had moves like that.”

Southwick finished 17-of-26 passing for 201 yards.