New Orleans ? Michael Boley was supposed to blitz, but pulled up in a timely moment of recognition, poised to jump for the screen pass he suspected was coming his way.

“They ran the same play earlier in the game … and threw it right by me,” the Southern Mississippi linebacker said. “I just kind of stopped, got in the throwing lane, and luckily he threw it to me.”

Boley stretched for a two-handed grab and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, breaking open what would wind up a 31-10 Southern Miss victory over North Texas in the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday night.

Boley, named MVP of the first bowl of the postseason, made eight tackles, including two sacks.

Dustin Almond threw for 247 yards. He had a touchdown pass and ran for another score in the opening quarter, giving Southern Miss (7-5) an early lead it never relinquished in its first bowl victory in four years.

“We wanted to come out and make a statement on those opening drives,” Almond said. “We kind of got in a rut there in the third quarter, but Boley made a big play and brought the momentum back. That gave the offense some confidence, and we went out there and ran the football.”

Southern Miss running back Anthony Harris had 104 yards on 14 carries, and USM finished with a 403-212 advantage in total yardage.

North Texas (7-5), the four-time Sun Belt Conference champion, dropped to 1-3 in the New Orleans Bowl. Tailback Jamario Thomas, who missed North Texas’ final regular-season game because of a sore hamstring, finished with 92 yards on 30 carries. His season total of 1,801 fell 62 yards short of former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne’s freshman record of 1,863 yards.

North Texas wide receiver Johnny Quinn (81) tries to fend off Southern Mississippi defender Darrell Bennett. The Golden Eagles beat the Mean Green, 31-10, Tuesday in New Orleans.