Mississippi State can end 6-game slide with win over UMass, which has 3 SEC matchups this season

UMass (2-6) at Mississippi State (1-7), Saturday, 4:15 p.m. ET (SEC).

BetMGM College Football Odds.: Mississippi State by 18 1/2.

Series: Mississippi State leads, 2-0.

What's at stake

UMass seeks a breakthrough in the second of three meetings against SEC schools. The Minutemen lost 45-3 at Missouri two weeks ago and face No. 2 Georgia on Nov. 23. MSU takes a break from the SEC grind and aims to halt a six-game losing streak. The Bulldogs are hoping for a breather with a grueling home stretch against No. 7 Tennessee, No. 25 Missouri and No. 19 archrival Mississippi coming up.

Key matchup

UMass has the nation’s sixth-ranked passing defense (157.5 yards allowed per game) and the 36th-best unit overall (328.0). The Minutemen held Wagner to just 56 yards passing and 218 overall in last week’s 35-7 win. MSU was outgained 673-471 in last week’s 58-25 loss to Arkansas but finished nearly even in passing (314-309). The Bulldogs have surpassed 300 yards in two of the past three games including 306 against Georgia.

Players to watch

UMass wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James is tied for 49th in FBS with 566 yards on 32 catches. His per-catch average of 17.7 yards ranks 43rd and per-game average of nearly 71 yards tying for 57th.

Mississippi State receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. has a three-game streak with at least eight receptions, totaling 292 yards and two TDs in that span. His 52 catches for 636 yards rank second and fourth respectively in the SEC. Coleman has caught a pass in 25 straight games, the 24th-longest active streak in FBS.

Facts & figures

MSU won the previous meeting 34-23 in 2017 in Starkville. … The Minutemen are playing as an independent before joining the Mid-American Conference as a full member on July 1. … UMass has 14 transfers from Power Four schools but only kicker Jacob Lurie (Vanderbilt) has SEC experience. … QB Taisun Phommachanh is tied for 68th nationally with 1,541 yards passing. … MSU cornerback Isaac Smith ranks second in the SEC with 74 stops and tied for 13th in FBS. … The Bulldogs averaged nearly 408 yards per game in October.

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The Associated Press