HATTIESBURG — Jack Abraham and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles both had flawless debuts Saturday night.
Abraham completed 21 of 27 passes for 242 yards and four touchdowns in his first game as Southern Miss’ quarterback as the Golden Eagles crushed Jackson State 55-7 in their season opener at M.M. Roberts Stadium.

Southern Miss scored on six of its eight possessions in the first half.

Quez Watkins caught eight passes for a career-high 138 yards and three touchdowns as Southern Miss finished with 457 yards of total offense. Watkins also had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Abraham, a junior transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, threw TD passes of 28 and 22 yards to Watkins in the first quarter, and a 24-yarder on the opening drive of the second half.

Backup quarterbacks Marcelo Rodriguez and Tate Whatley saw playing time after Abraham left the game midway through the third quarter. Rodriguez was 3-of-5 passing for eight yards, and ran it twice for nine yards. Whatley was 1-for-1 passing for five yards, and ran for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Jackson State trailed 41-0 at halftime and did not score until Kobe Gates caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jarrad Hayes on the final play of the third quarter.

Jackson State finished with 219 yards of offense. It committed four turnovers, including a fumble in the second quarter that was returned 26 yards for a touchdown by Xavier Marion.