In advance of this weekend’s season opener, Saturday Down South’s Ethan Levine breaks down the scouting report for Mississippi State’s in-state, non-conference showdown against Southern Miss:

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Open Saturday at Mississippi State (7:30 PM ET, SEC Network)

THE SKINNY: These two in-state rivals haven’t played one another since September 22, 1990, when the SEC had just 10 teams and Southern Miss was still an independent. The Golden Eagles are now members of Conference USA, but they’ve fallen far since winning the conference title in 2012. Southern Miss has just one win during the last two seasons, and at one point lost 23 games in a row. The Golden Eagles return starting quarterback Nick Mullens and top receiver Markese Triplett, but are still entrenched in a rebuilding phase under head coach Todd Monken.

KEY PLAYER: Triplett has been a dynamic athlete in the passing game for the Golden Eagles throughout his career, catching 33 balls for 558 yards and four touchdowns as a junior in 2013. He led the team in yards, touchdowns and yards per reception at 16.9 per catch. Triplett is Southern Miss’ most dangerous threat down the field, and he could burn the Bulldogs’ defense if they don’t pay him enough attention. Mullens will be looking for Triplett early and often, especially if Mississippi State takes a commanding lead.

WHAT TO WATCH: This game could turn into a blowout quickly, but it will still have the atmosphere of an in-state rivalry. As Dan Mullen said in his game week press conference on Monday, many of the players on both teams hail from the state of Mississippi and were teammates or opponents during their prep playing days. Furthermore, a healthy number of USM fans should be present for the game in Starkville, creating a unique in-stadium atmosphere that will epitomize what college football is all about.

FINAL SAY: These are two programs moving in opposite directions, and it will be very apparent when they meet on Saturday. Mississippi State is entering its first season with Dak Prescott as its undisputed starter at quarterback, and thee Bulldogs have become a popular sleeper pick to win 10 games in the loaded SEC West. Southern Miss, meanwhile, is hoping to win multiple games in a season for the first time since 2012. Todd Monken has begun moving the Golden Eagles back in the right direction, but this team is far from ready to win a game on the road in SEC country.