UConn @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2017 ) Memphis 70, Connecticut 31

The only two teams with 0-2 records in American Athletic Conference play entering the week meet Saturday when Connecticut pays a visit to Memphis. The host Tigers had won 11 straight games against Tulane before falling to the Green Wave last weekend by a 40-24 margin.

Opponents have increased or matched their scoring each week against Memphis, which saw national rushing leader Darrell Henderson get bottled up while being outgained 318-31 on the ground last week. Henderson amassed 709 yards on more than 12 per carry through his first four games before being held to 51 yards against Tulane, although he still averaged 7.3 yards per attempt and found the end zone twice - once on a 43-yard TD catch. The junior figures to run wild against the Huskies, who enter the week ranked 128th out of 129 FBS teams in rushing defense (311.2 yards allowed per game). Connecticut offered little resistance in a 49-7 loss at home to Cincinnati last Saturday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Memphis -35

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (1-4, 0-2 AAC): David Pindell completed just 9-of-23 passes against the Bearcats one week after sustaining a minor knee injury in a loss to Syracuse. Senior wideout Kyle Buss caught his first career TD pass to give the Huskies their only points. UConn allows 663 total yards per game, nearly 120 more than any other FBS team, and it surrendered an incredible 711 in a 70-31 loss to Memphis last year.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (3-2, 0-2): Brady White was sacked seven times by Tulane and the usually high-powered Tigers' offense had fewer total yards (277) than the Green Wave had on the ground. "That didn't look like our football team," Memphis coach Mike Norvell told reporters after the frustrating loss. "And that's something I was disappointed in. I didn't see that spark that I'm accustomed to." White completed 14-of-30 passes for 246 yards and two TDs, and the junior has 14 scoring passes against just one interception to go along with an AAC-leading 1,310 yards.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Tigers WR Damonte Coxie ranks second in the AAC in catches (28) and third in receiving yards (420).

2. Pindell leads UConn in rushing with 432 yards but was held to a season-low 22 against Cincinnati.

3. Memphis LB Bryce Huff has recorded two sacks in two of his last three games and has five overall.

PREDICTION: Memphis 52, Connecticut 21