Southern Miss head football coach Jeff Bower, who led the Golden Eagles to their 14th straight winning season this year, was fired this morning, athletic officials told several media outlets.

The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson reported on its Web site that Bower, who has been with the Golden Eagles for 17 seasons, met with athletic director Richard Giannini this morning and was told he would not be returning.

On Saturday, the Golden Eagles accepted a bid to play in the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham on Dec. 22. The team’s opponent has yet to be determined.

Assistant coaches on the road recruiting were called back into the Southern Miss athletic office.

Bower has a 119-82-1 record in his tenure in Hattiesburg and the Eagles will be playing in their 10th bowl game in the last 11 years.

It was unclear whether Bower would coach the Eagles in the Birmingham bowl game.

Bower quarterbacked the Golden Eagles from 1972-75 and has been coaching the Golden Eagles in some capacity for 23 years.