MONROE, La. — Southern Miss clawed its way back into the game Saturday, then watched Louisiana-Monroe run away again.

Aidan Armenta threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score in the fourth quarter, as Louisiana-Monroe ripped off 21 straight points to pull away for a 38-21 victory over the Golden Eagles.

The Warhawks’ surge came after Braxton Myers returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown to get Southern Miss to within 17-14.

Armenta was 10-of-17 passing for 188 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 52 yards and one TD. Ahmad Hardy rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, the last a 31-yard run with 2:43 remaining that sealed it for Louisiana-Monroe (5-1, 3-0 Sun Belt Conference).

Southern Miss quarterback Ethan Crawford was 9-of-26 passing for 165 yards, and added 70 rushing yards. Kenyon Clay ean for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Southern Miss (1-5, 0-2) lost its fourth game in a row.

Hardy’s 34-yard TD run and a 36-yard TD pass from Armenta to James Jones put ULM ahead 14-3 early in the second quarter, but Southern Miss buckled down and stayed in the game.

Connor Gibbs kicked a 37-yard field goal with two seconds left in the first half, and Myers’ blocked field goal return made it a one-score game with 2:08 to go in the third quarter.

ULM answered with touchdowns on three of its four fourth-quarter possessions to finally blow it open.

The Warhawks’ 5-1 start is the program’s best since 1987. Its 3-0 Sun Belt record had not been achieved since 2017.

“To be 4-0 at home in front of our fans and former players, that’s a big deal and something we are proud of,” ULM coach Bryant Vincent said. “It was a hard-fought, physical game.”