Marquese Wheaton says Southern Mississippi’s "pick-six" club doesn’t have a leader.

The numbers suggest he’s simply being humble.

Wheaton has three of the Golden Eagles’ 11 non-offensive touchdowns this season, one of many reasons Southern Miss is ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and favored over Nevada in Saturday’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at Aloha Stadium.

Seven different Golden Eagles have returned interceptions for touchdowns this year, including Wheaton, who has also scored on a 79-yard blocked field-goal return against Navy and a 75-yard fumble return vs. Rice.

"It’s just a club that we came up that we do stuff like put "pick-six" stickers on people’s lockers and stuff like that," said Wheaton, one of five starting defensive backs.

Southern Miss transitioned from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5 scheme this season under new defensive coordinator Dan Disch.

While remaining stout against the run — ranking in the top 20 in the country in rush defense for the second straight year — the Golden Eagles became a legit scoring defense, intercepting 18 passes and returning eight for scores to lead the country.

"It feels like backyard football really because on some plays, I’ve got no responsibility except to go to the ball," Wheaton said. "Last year it was just man-to-man with no help and I couldn’t really take any chances, but this year, I got plays where I can jump certain routes and disguise coverages so I can do this and do that and that’s (the reason) why we get the touchdowns we’ve had."

Linebacker Ronnie Thornton, one of seven senior starters on defense, became the latest to join the club, returning a Case Keenum interception for a score in the Golden Eagles’ stunning 49-28 win over then-undefeated and seventh-ranked Houston in the Conference USA championship game.

But unlike the previous 16 C-USA champions, Southern Miss was not invited to the Liberty Bowl, which chose teams from the SEC and Big East instead.

A stipulation between the Liberty Bowl and SEC allows for the SEC team (Vanderbilt) to face a Big East opponent (Cincinnati) instead of a C-USA opponent if the SEC had nine bowl-eligible teams.

The Golden Eagles also had an outside shot at playing in a BCS bowl game, but instead find themselves spending Christmas Eve in Hawaii.

"We could be in Memphis freezing cold, but instead we out here in this great weather hanging out on the beach," said defensive end Cordarro Law, who is the NCAA’s active leader with 26 solo sacks and 14 forced fumbles. "Guys aren’t bitter about it, we’re enjoying every day out here."

While the back seven have adjusted to Disch’s new defensive scheme, Law’s one main focus has remained the same.

A three-year starter on the defensive line, Law led the team with 71⁄2 sacks and was one of four Golden Eagles named first-team all conference.

"Our schemes have changed a little with the new defense and you can see it with the production of our defensive line, but it’s still about getting after the quarterback and making plays," Law said.

The Golden Eagles are trying to win their first bowl game in the last three tries, but more important, are searching for the school’s first 12-win season.

It’ll also be the final game at Southern Miss for head coach Larry Fedora, who accepted the same position at North Carolina earlier this month.

"This week is a great reward for us to come out here to Hawaii and I think this really is the best place for us to go and enjoy each other," Law said. "It’s the last game for a lot of us seniors and our coaches and we want to get it done and get the number 12."