Houston @ Arizona preview

Arizona will try to continue running wild when it hosts Houston on Saturday night. The Wildcats have rushed for more than 500 yards in back-to-back games, but that will be a tall task against an experienced Houston defense.

The Cougars, who did not play in Week 1 when their opener against Texas-San Antonio was postponed by Hurricane Harvey, have three of their top four tacklers returning, including AP Preseason All-American Ed Oliver. The Wildcats had six players record rushing touchdowns last week while piling up 506 yards, just shy of the school-record 511 Arizona had in last year's finale. Junior Brandon Dawkins didn't throw the ball well in the opener against Norther Arizona but is confident his offense can move the ball. "It just depends how the team plays us," Dawkins said after the opener. "We're a team that's built on having a triple-option attack: We can throw the ball, we can run the ball with our running backs or I can run the ball. So whatever a team does, we just gotta make sure we don't let them be right, and that's when our offense is most effective."

TV: 10:30 p.m., ESPNU. LINE: Houston -3.5.

ABOUT HOUSTON (2016: 9-4): First-year coach Major Applewhite won't announce a starting quarterback -- either Texas A&M transfer Kyle Allen (2,210 passing yards, 17 TDs, seven INTs in 2015) or senior Kyle Postma (29-of-46, 210 yards, two INTs in 10 games and one start last year) -- until Friday. The starter will be backed by returning starters Duke Catalon (518 rushing yards, 10 scores), Linell Bonner (98 catches for 1,118 yards, three scores) and Steven Dunbar (53 catches for 692 yards, five scores). Oliver (66 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, five sacks) is joined by leading tackler Matthew Adams (82 stops, two sacks) and Khalil Williams (69 tackles) from a squad that allowed 100.2 rushing yards last year.

ABOUT ARIZONA (1-0): Dawkins rushed for a team-high 92 yards and two scores and went 7-of-13 passing for 89 yards and a touchdown in the 62-24 opening win. Senior Nick Wilson added 87 rushing yards and a score while junior Tony Ellison caught five of Dawkins' completions for 79 yards and a score. The Wildcats forced three turnovers -- including two interceptions by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles -- after having a minus-7 turnover margin last year, but allowed 562 yards to their FCS opponent.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Wildcats are 12-0 at home against non-Pac-12 opponents under coach Rich Rodriguez.

2. Shun Brown's 66-yard punt return TD topped Arizona's entire 2016 season total for punt return yards (56).

3. Applewhite said between 10-15 Houston players' immediate families were directly affected by flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

PREDICTION: Houston 34, Arizona 24