Massachusetts @ Vanderbilt preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) Vanderbilt 24, Massachusetts 7

Derek Mason’s tenure at Vanderbilt is off to a disastrous start, especially on offense. The first-year head coach will try to pick up his first win when Vanderbilt takes a slight step down in competition to host MAC member Massachusetts. The Commodores have yet to score a touchdown on offense and were dominated by a combined score of 78-10 in home losses to Temple and Mississippi to begin the season.

The Minutemen are winless in their first two games as well but put a scare into Colorado last week and are in the midst of an opening stretch that includes four straight games against teams from Power-5 conferences. Vanderbilt’s issues extend beyond the offense, though Stephen Rivers’ struggles at quarterback are putting the defense in tough spots. Rivers was one of three quarterbacks to get snaps in the opener and he started the second game, going 6-for-25 for 60 yards and an interception against the Rebels.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN3. LINE: Vanderbilt -17

ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS (0-2): The Minutemen held an 11-point, third-quarter lead against Colorado last week before surrendering three straight touchdowns and suffering a 41-38 loss. One of the highlights came from cornerback Randall Jette, who had an interception against the Buffaloes and is anchoring the secondary for Massachusetts. “I told (Jette) last week that he doesn’t have to hand the ball back to the offense, it’s alright if he just scores,” coach Mark Whipple told reporters. “Hopefully this week or down the road he’ll get into the end zone.”

ABOUT VANDERBILT (0-2): The Commodores turned the ball over seven times in a 37-7 opening loss to Temple and did not score until a fourth-quarter field goal in last week’s 41-3 setback to Ole Miss. Rivers, a senior, is one of the rare upperclassmen on a team that played 25 freshmen last week. “We wanted to get more,” Mason told reporters of Rivers after the Ole Miss loss. “…I thought there were opportunities for Stephen to make throws. We’re going through the process of being young.”

EXTRA POINTS

1. This marks the third straight year the schools have met, with Vanderbilt taking the first two games by a combined scored of 73-14.

2. Minutemen QB Blake Frohnapfel threw for a career-high three TD passes against Colorado.

3. Commodores RB Ralph Webb has 165 yards on 32 carries as the lone bright spot on offense.

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 21, Massachusetts 17