There are many benefits to getting invited to a bowl game. Of course there’s the financial and prestige part. But, also, there’s the fact several teams will still be practicing while other schools have put their uniforms away until the spring.

&uot;It helps from the standpoint of getting extra work for the younger kids,&uot; Southern Mississippi head football coach Jeff Bower said during a teleconference call Monday. &uot;We had about 15 stay after extra the other day and we were able to teach some things on both sides of the ball. In that sense, it’s almost like having and extra spring practice. It’s a great opportunity for the younger kids.&uot;

Bower redshirted 12 freshman this year

&uot;We really didnt play too many,&uot; he said. &uot;We had a few true freshman play in (linebacker)&160;Joe Henley, (quarterback) Bobby Garner) and wide receiver (Corey Hosey).&uot;

Bower is getting the extra work as a result of his team winning the Conference-USA and earning a Liberty Bowl bid against Colorado State Dec. 31 in Memphis.

Southern Miss finished 8-3 this year. And while it’s 6-0 mark in the C-USA will not turn a lot of heads, the Golden Eagles always boast of a tough non-conference schedule.

After beating Tulane 48-14 and Northwestern Louisiana 40-6 in their first two games, the Golden Eagles went up to Nebraska and led the Cornhuskers 7-6 after one period of play and trailed 12-7 at halftime.

Nebraska, which as in the national championship race up to the final week, won the game 20-13.

The other two USM losses were to Texas A&M (23-6) and Alabama (35-14).

The Aggies led USM 3-0 after one period of plaly and 9-0 at halftime.

Alabama dominated the Golden Eagles, leading 20-7 at halftime and 35-7 after three quarters.

Last year, Southern Miss kicked off its season at Penn State.

&uot;I think a tough non-conference schedule helps if you want to grow as a football program,&uot;&160;Bower said. &uot;Number one, you want to take care of business in your conference and win the championship. To to become what you want and get to the next level you have to play a tough non-conference schedule. The thing that does is get you ready if you stay relatively healthy. We’ve done that every year and our results have been pretty good in the conference.&uot;

Which is putting it very mildly.

This year USM won its third C-USA title in the four-year existence of the conference.

Last year, Tulane defeated the Golden Eagles to take the conference championship on their way to an undefeated season.

NFL teams are now finding out just how good Tulane quarterback Shaun King was last year but what he has been able to do the last two weeks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Golden Eagles are 21-2 in C-USA play.

&uot;It’s been a lot of fun and pleasing to win it or a share of it three out of the last four years,&uot; Bower said. &uot;That’s what we set out to do. We want to be good in our conference and win that championship to be able to go to a bowl. From a coaching standpoint, that beats the heck out of being independent. It’s much more motivational for the players.&uot;

Bower will have more motivation after this spring when a new football facility is completed.

&uot;By April 1 (2000), we should really enhance our recruiting efforts by addressing our facility needs,&uot; he said. &uot;No doubt we’ll be able to get better recruits and high-quality students. That will help us improve and win football games. It’s a big benefit. We’ve got to keep the good coaches here and keep working hard to be even more successful.&uot;

Joey Martin is the sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached at (601) 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.