BYU @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 27, 2013 ) Brigham Young 16, Washington 31

No. 11 Washington, which opened its non-league schedule with a 21-16 loss to then No. 9-ranked Auburn, closes outs its non-conference schedule with another top-notch opponent as BYU visits Husky Stadium on Saturday night. The Cougars, who were just one spot out of being ranked in this week's coaches' poll, already own road wins over a top-10 team as well as a Pac-12 team.

BYU, which stumbled through an 0-4 September in 2017, opened its season with 28-23 victory at Arizona and, after a narrow 21-18 loss at Cal, pulled off a stunning 24-21 upset of then-No. 6 ranked Wisconsin in Madison on Sept. 15. Toss in the fact the Cougars run a much more wide-open offensive attack than Arizona State, whom Washington defeated, 27-20, last Saturday, and Huskies coach Chris Petersen says his defense will be up for a big challenge. "Completely different than what we just saw. I mean, 180 degrees different," Petersen said of a Sun Devils offense that completed just 17 passes for 104 yards but ran the ball 40 times for 164 yards. BYU, meanwhile, keeps opponents off balanced with an array of fly sweeps and a conventional old-school passing attack led by quarterback Tanner Mangum. "You're going to see a quarterback take a snap under center and drop back and throw a pass," Petersen said. "How often do you see that? With no play-action. He takes a straight drop and throws it."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Washington -17.5

ABOUT BYU (3-1): The Cougars, who cruised to 30-3 victory over FCS opponent McNeese State last week, are off to their best start since beginning 4-0 in 2014. Mangum, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound redshirt senior, has started 25 games in his career and has six 300-yard games and 5,770 career passing yards. The defense, which held McNeese State to just 10 first downs and 0-of-10 on third down conversions, is led by 6-9, 275-pound defensive end Corbin Kaufusi, who had a team-best seven tackles and a sack at Arizona, and senior linebackers in Zayne Anderson (28 tackles, one interception) and Sione Takitaki (25 tackles, one sack).

ABOUT WASHINGTON (3-1): Quarterback Jake Browning comes in off arguably his best game of the season. completing 15-of-22 passes for 202 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Sun Devils. Senior Myles Gaskin broke Napoleon Kaufman's school career rushing record in the opener against Auburn and has rushed for more than 1,300 yards in three consecutive seasons. The defense is led by senior linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven who had a career-high 20 tackles and forced two fumbles against Arizona State and has won back-to-back Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Burr-Kirven has 53 tackles this season, 30 more than any other Washington player.

2. Washington ranks second in the Pac-12 behind national leader Utah and 11th nationally in passing yards allowed per game (154.0).

3. The Huskies are 14-1 since 2016 when they have a player rush for 100 yards in a game.

PREDICTION: Washington 24, BYU 17