Washington didn't dominate but it managed to hang on and beat a scrappy Southern Miss squad 44-31 in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Here's how things went down.

What the win means for Washington: While it shouldn't be a big deal for a Pac-12 team to beat a Conference USA team -- even one that won nine games -- considering how awful Washington was in its bowl game last year, concluding the season with a win is significant. On a Captain Obvious level, it gives the Huskies a winning record at 7-6. That's certainly better than a losing record. Yet the big value is the setup for next year. Washington has a lot of players coming back, and the stars of this game might start next year on a number of high-profile "watch lists."

What the loss means for Southern Miss: Not a whole lot. The Eagles went 0-12 in 2012 and won four games in coach Todd Monken's first two seasons, so the turnaround in Hattiesburg this fall is all about a once-proud program getting its mojo back. It's a good guess that Golden Eagles fans are simply thrilled to get to a bowl game again. Further, this game was mostly competitive, and that late goal-line stand with nothing at stake showed admirable heart. There is no shame in this performance.

The game turned: The Eagles tied the game 24-24 in the third quarter, and it seemed reasonable to envision a potential upset. Then Washington running back Myles Gaskin went 86 yards for a touchdown on the next play from scrimmage, the first of 17 unanswered points from the Huskies.

Unsung hero: Southern Miss receiver Michael Thomas had nine receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns. That's a stout 21.1 yard per catch. Against a tough Huskies secondary, he won the day.

Stat of the game: Washington out-rushed the Eagles 296 yards to 22. No question who won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Game ball goes to: Myles Gaskin's 86-yard TD run was the play of the game, but Gaskin also rushed for 181 yards on 26 carries and scored four TDs.