Three UMass Minutemen for Mississippi State football fans to know

Mississippi State football looks to rebound from the thrashing they took at the hands of Arkansas when they play host to UMass on Saturday. The Minutemen won their second game last week over Wagner 35-7. Based on the trajectory of both teams, this should be an interesting matchup. Even though Mississippi State appears to be more talented on paper, UMass does have three players that State fans should know ahead of the game on Saturday.

Wide Receiver Jakobie Keeney-James

The senior wide receiver has been the top target for the Minutemen this season. He has 32 catches for 566 yards and three touchdowns. With the exception of the season opener versus Eastern Michigan, Keeney-James has caught at least three passes in every game. He knows how to find the soft spot in the zone, and he has big-play ability. He is averaging 17.7 yards per reception, and he has five games where his longest reception was 25 yards or more. You should expect the Minutemen to try and get him the ball early and often.

Linebacker Jalen Stewart

Stewart is the second player to watch as he anchors the Minutemen defense from the linebacker position. His numbers do not blow you off the page, as he only has recorded half a sack and one tackle for a loss this season. However, he is their leading tackler and a leader of their defense. Through eight games, Stewart has 16 solo tackles and 52 tackles overall along with two pass deflections. He has a nose for the football, and he will need to be slowed down if Mississippi State is to have any success running the football.

Running Back CJ Hester

Hester is the leading rusher for UMass with 287 yards on 68 carries this season. He is also second on the team in rushing touchdowns with two this year. He has struggled at times averaging only 4.2 yards per rush. This is partly due to their quarterback, Taisun Phommachanh, accounting for 101 rushes this season. However, State's defense should still key in on Hester if they want to stop their ground game. Hester's most successful games have come in recent weeks, and he could make life difficult for Mississippi State if they are not able to contain him running the football.