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Mississippi State Set to Battle Massachusetts in Starkville

Mississippi State (1-7, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) will host FBS independent Massachusetts (2-6) on Nov. 2 at 4:15 p.m. EST at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 58-25 home loss against Arkansas (5-3, 3-2 SEC), while the Minutemen are coming off a 35-7 win against Wagner (4-5, 2-1 Northeast Conference).

What's at Stake

This will be Mississippi State's final non-conference game before finishing the season against three opponents currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. A win is crucial to avoid the possibility of a one-win season, something the Bulldogs have not endured since 1988.

The Minutemen have a chance to earn their first win against an SEC opponent in program history. This will be the second game against an SEC team this season, as they lost 45-3 against No. 25 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC). Massachusetts will also face No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) on Nov. 23.

Key Players: Mississippi State

Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. has been a bright spot for the Bulldogs, stepping in after starter Blake Shapen's season-ending injury. Van Buren has thrown for 1,101 yards, 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In his last game, he passed for 309 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, completing 22-of-31 passing attempts.

Safety Isaac Smith leads the Bulldogs with 74 tackles, the second-most in the SEC. In the last two games, Smith has recorded 18 tackles and a pass defended. He has missed some games due to injuries, but while healthy he plays an important role in the Bulldogs' defense.

Key Players: Massachusetts

Quarterback Taisun Phommachanh has passed for 1,541 yards and 8 touchdowns this season, completing 57 percent of his attempts. In his last game, he threw for 129 yards, a touchdown and an interception, completing 10 of 18 passes. He also rushed 7 times for 30 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Defensive end Louce Julien has 29 tackles, fifth most on the team, and leads Massachusetts with 2 sacks. To find success in this game, he will need to pressure Bulldogs freshman Van Buren. Linebacker Jalen Stewart, the leading tackler on the Massachusetts defense, will play a crucial role in slowing down a Mississippi State rushing attack that has three running backs averaging well over 4 yards per carry.