UMass @ Mississippi State
Riding the momentum of a three game winning streak, Mississippi State is ranked 16th in the first CFB playoff poll of the season and will step out of SEC play for a week to take on the Minutemen of Umass. The first matchup of this home and home series was played last season in New England’s Gillette Stadium. The Bulldogs came away with a 47-35 win in a shootout, as QB Nick Fitzgerald accounted for over 400 yards of total offense and 3 TDs. While last year’s matchup was closer than expected, and UMass has won two straight games, the Bulldogs are favored in this year’s matchup by 32 points.
Kickoff from Starkville is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Ole Miss @ Kentucky
Ole Miss attempts to end their losing blues in the Bluegrass state as they take on the Kentucky Wildcats. The Rebels have lost two in a row and will try to pick up the pieces after blowing a 31-7 lead to the Arkansas Razorbacks just a week ago. Jordan Ta’amu will make his second start for the injured Shea Patterson. Ta’amu was able to make plays while building the Rebel lead last week but costly turnovers let the Razorbacks right back into the game. An increased emphasis on ball security may go a long way for the Rebel QB this weekend if they hope to get back in the win column.
Kickoff in Lexington is set for 3:00 p.m.
Southern Miss @ Tennessee
Southern Miss lost their first game in four weeks after falling to UAB last week and this week they take on ailing Tennessee squad in Knoxville. The Golden Eagles have an excellent opportunity to take down an SEC team that is in the midst of a difficult season with question marks all over the field, including the job security of HC Butch Jones. In last week’s loss, Southern Miss’ offense couldn’t generate anything in the second half, and they’ll have to play for a full 60 minutes against a team playing with nothing to lose. Keon Howard was 3-0 as the Golden Eagles’ starting QB, and it remains to be seen how he responds to adversity coming off of a loss.
Kickoff in Knoxville is slated for 6:30 p.m.
