Mississippi State Takes Down UMass 45-20 at Home

© Matt Bush-Imagn Images

The Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-7, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) earned their second win of the season by defeating the FBS independent UMass Minutemen (2-7) 45-20 in Starkville, Miss.

The Bulldogs' balanced offensive attack proved too much for the Minutemen, giving Mississippi State its first win since Aug. 31.

Game Summary

UMass started the game off hot and put together a 13-play drive that was capped by a 3-yard touchdown run from running back Brandon Campbell. Kicker Jacob Lurie added a 24-yard field goal on the next drive, giving the Minutemen a 10-0 lead. However, Mississippi State responded by scoring 21 unanswered points to lead 21-10 at halftime.

© Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Coming out of halftime, Mississippi State's offense was clicking and scored on four straight drives. The Minutemen were not able to find a consistent offense to keep up, only scoring 10 more points in the second half as the Bulldogs cruised to a 45-20 victory at home.

Turning Point

On UMass' third drive of the game, quarterback Taisun Phommachanh's pass was intercepted by Bulldogs safety Brylan Lanier, giving Mississippi State the ball deep in its own territory. After a penalty erased an interception early in the drive, the Bulldogs went on to drive 97 yards in six plays, taking the lead with a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. Mississippi State maintained the lead for the remainder of the game.

Looking Ahead: Mississippi State

The Bulldogs delivered one of their best performances of the season and will need to build on this momentum as they face a challenging final stretch. Their remaining games are against ranked Associated Press Top 25 teams, starting with No. 7 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1) on the road in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 9. With only three games left, Mississippi State will miss the postseason for the second year in a row, as they will be unable to reach the coveted six-win mark.

Looking Ahead: UMass

The Minutemen will return home to face Conference USA member Liberty (5-2, 3-2) on Nov. 16. They also face a tough road game against No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1) in Athens, Ga. on Nov. 23, seeking their first-ever win against an SEC opponent.