East Carolina @ Brigham Young preview

East Carolina looks to build off two straight impressive offensive performances when it pays a visit to BYU for a non-conference game on Saturday. The Pirates dropped a pair of games to unbeaten teams in Navy and Florida before upsetting Virginia Tech 35-28 and posting 49 points last week in a victory at SMU that featured a balanced effort.

East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill said he expects to go with a two-quarterback system again after Blake Kemp and James Summers produced 333 yards of offense last week. The Pirates will need plenty of points against the Cougars, who recorded a season-best 539 yards in a 30-13 win over Connecticut last week to snap a two-game slide. Freshman Tanner Mangum has thrown for 1,084 yards – 365 in the last game – and connected with five different receivers for at least 200, but leading rusher Adam Hine (ankle) likely will be out another few weeks. BYU hopes to continue getting big plays from its defense, which has registered nine interceptions.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: BYU –8

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (3-2): Summers came on to complete 14-of-18 passes for 263 yards and run for another 254 in the last two games to augment Kemp’s 70 percent passing in 2015. Chris Hairston bounced back from three non-productive games to rush for 91 yards against SMU as the Pirates put up 306 overall. East Carolina leads the nation in third-down conversions (55 percent) and Isaiah Jones (38 receptions, 473 yards) has played a big part, making at least one catch in 28 straight games (14 versus Florida on Sept. 12).

ABOUT BYU (3-2): The Cougars turned to Algernon Brown with Hine out last week, and the junior rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries against UConn. Mangum has thrown six touchdown passes but has been intercepted five times with a 60.5 percent completion rate and Terenn Houk is coming off a career day in which he had six receptions for 129 yards. BYU will attempt to get some big plays from its defense, which is led by senior end Bronson Kaufusi (17.5 career sacks, two in 2015) and junior safety Kai Nacua (four interceptions this season).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cougars WR Mitch Mathews leads the team with five touchdown receptions, raising his career total to 18.

2. Jones needs 93 receiving yards to become the third East Carolina player to reach 2,000 in his career.

3. BYU has put together seven scoring drives of two minutes or less – six of which have gone for touchdowns.

PREDICTION: BYU 31, East Carolina 24