Mississippi State and UMass announced a three-game football series Monday, featuring two contests at MSU’s Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville and a third at Gillette Stadium, home of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

The first game will be played Sept. 24, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass., a date that opened up on the Bulldogs’ schedule when Tulane backed out of a longstanding agreement last month. UMass will make return trips to Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville on Sept. 23, 2017 and Oct. 17, 2020.

“We appreciate UMass working with us on short notice,” said MSU Director of Athletics Scott Stricklin. “Bulldog fans will get the opportunity to travel to a great part of the country, while watching us play in an NFL stadium for the sixth time in seven years.

"This series allows MSU to fill an immediate gap in our 2016 schedule, while securing home games in 2017 and 2020 so the Bulldogs can play seven home games those seasons.”