No. 21 Mizzou hopes to bounce back from its loss at Texas A&M with a game at FCS UMass

No. 21 Missouri (4-1) at UMass (1-5), Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Series record: First meeting.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

Mizzou is trying to rebound from a 41-10 loss to No. 25 Texas A&M and win its ninth straight nonconference game. UMass has never beaten a Southeastern Conference opponent in 11 tries.

KEY MATCHUP

Mizzou receiver vs. UMass secondary: WR Theo Wease Jr. had 72 yards on two catches, including a 59-yard touchdown, vs. Texas A&M. Luther Burden III had seven catches for 82 yards against the Aggies and has caught a pass in 27 straight games. He is just 74 yards away from surpassing 2,000 yards in his career.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mizzou: QB Brady Cook hasn’t thrown an interception in 116 straight pass attempts since his lone pickoff against Buffalo on Sept. 7. Last year he completed an SEC record 365 passes without an interception.

UMass: QB Taisun Phommachanh is fourth among FBS quarterbacks with 290 yards after contact rushing the ball. Even in last week’s 34-20 loss to Northern Illinois, he threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns. A week earlier, he ran for 80 yards against Miami of Ohio.

FACTS & FIGURES

It is the first meeting between the teams. … Mizzou is seeking its second straight undefeated record in non-conference play, having already beaten Murray State, Buffalo and Boston College. Last year’s team went 5-0 in non-conference games, including a win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. … Mizzou was ranked as high as No. 6, but fell to No. 21 after the loss to the Aggies. … The Tigers have been in the Associated Press Top 25 for 18 straight weeks, their longest streak in 10 years. … The offense converted 20 of 21 red zone opportunities, 13th nationally and third best in the SEC. … RB Nate Noel has led Mizzou in rushing in all five games, including a career-high 199 against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. … Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has a 13-2 record in non-conference games at Mizzou. … The Tigers have committed just two turnovers in their first five games – and none in their last three. … Five Minutemen rushed for a touchdown: CJ Hester (2), Phommachanh (1), Jalen John (1), Brandon Campbell (1) and Jackson Paradis (1). … WR Jakobie Keeney-James posted a career-high 150 yards receiving against Miami of Ohio, including the longest touchdown of his career of 66 yards.

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