Southern Miss Attempts To Replace Its Murdered Mascot

In 1993, Southern Mississippi's golden eagle mascot Nugget II starved to death under mysterious circumstances, and alumni paid off the government to make questions go away. For two decades, students and alumni have been trying to bring a bird back to campus. This might be the closest they get.

After booster groups raised $70,000, the Hattiesburg Zoo is now home to a new Nugget, an older eagle who flew into some power lines and now can't fly more than 15 feet. He won't be a mascot in any traditional sense, since he won't be allowed to leave his exhibit. But he's an eagle in Hattiesburg, and that'll have to be enough.

Below, our story from August, finally solving the death of Nugget II after 2o years.