MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Defense saved the day for Southern Mississippi.

	Colorado State Pete Rebstock is upended by Southern Mississippi kicker Don Urquhart.

Adalius Thomas had three sacks and the 16th-ranked Golden Eagles converted three turnovers into 10 points in a 23-17 victory over Colorado State Friday night, winning the Liberty Bowl for the second time in three years.

"I'm officially declaring this the best defense ever in Southern Miss history," coach Jeff Bower said after the unit held Colorado State scoreless in the second half despite spending nearly 19 minutes on the field.

Colorado State (8-4) wound up with 268 yards total offense, its second-lowest total this season. Southern Miss (9-3) managed only 187.

Southern Miss led 20-17 at halftime and managed only a 25-yard field goal by Brant Hanna midway through the third quarter. The defense made it stand up by stopping the Rams when it mattered.

Colorado State had one last chance to win in the final two minutes, with two downs from the Southern Miss 24. Matt Newton threw incomplete on third down and Southern Miss safety Leo Barnes knocked away a fourth-and-3 pass with 1:15 to play.

"We haven't played teams that could bat down passes like them," Colorado State receiver Dallas Davis said. "It seemed like every time I turned around for the ball, it was knocked down."

Southern Miss' special teams blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown.

Thomas' first sack caused Newton to fumble for the second time, and Cedric Scott recovered, setting up Hanna's second field goal. Thomas, who finished with eight tackles and one pass broken up, also pressured Newton into another incomplete pass on fourth-and-2 with 5:28 left.

The Rams came into the game as one of the hottest teams in the country, winning five straight to earn a share of the Mountain West Conference title. But the Golden Eagles shut down Colorado State running back Kevin McDougal, who averaged 116 yards a game this season. He got only 59 in the game, just 17 in the second half.

Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick, given a contract extension before the game, said he was proud of how his own defense played against the Golden Eagles, who had the nation's eighth-ranked defense.

"We're right in there with them. If they are a great defense, which they are, then there's nothing shabby about the Rams. I think both defenses made the offenses look bad," he said.

Most of the action took place in a wild first half with the first two punts blocked, a blocked extra point, three turnovers and two TDs on fourth down. Southern Miss led 20-17 at halftime despite not scoring on offense until 26 seconds left in the half.

Southern Miss looked like it would blow the Rams out in the opening minutes as Chad Williams picked up Newton's fumble on Colorado State's fourth play of the game and ran in 5 yards for a touchdown. Roy Magee intercepted Newton's pass three plays later.

John Floyd blocked Deone Horinek's punt with 4:35 left in the quarter, putting Southern Miss up 13-3.

But the Golden Eagles, whose offensive coordinator was fired on Christmas Eve, couldn't get their offense going. They had just 15 yards midway through the second quarter.

That gave Colorado State time to collect itself, and the Rams responded with 14 straight points.

A 10-play, 50-yard drive was capped when Frank Rice scored on a 2-yard reverse on fourth-and-goal with 7:45 to go in the second. Rhett Nelson set up the Rams' first lead by intercepting Jeff Kelly's pass at the Colorado State 24 and returning it 41 yards. Three plays later, Newton found Cory Woolstenhulme for a 38-yard TD and a 17-13 lead.

A bit of luck sparked the Golden Eagles just before halftime. Kelly's pass on second-and-10 bounced off Shawn Mills' hands, and Sherrod Gideon caught it for a 19-yard reception and their longest play of the half. Southern Miss took a 20-17 lead into halftime as Derrick Nix scored on a 3-yard run on fourth-and-inches.

The game was finished well before midnight, but the press box computer, certified Y2K compliant, broke down in the fourth quarter. The statistics were done the old-fashioned way -- by hand.