Wyoming @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2010 ) Wyoming 7, Texas 34

David Ash will start the season at quarterback for Texas after being named the starter last week by coach Mack Brown and his first test will come against visiting Wyoming on Saturday. Ash beat out Case McCoy, the younger brother of former Longhorn Colt McCoy, but Brown could end up using both, especially early in the season, after the two split time in nine games last year. Case McCoy lost the starting job after throwing four interceptions in the regular-season finale against Baylor and Ash was the MVP in the Longhorns' 21-10 win over UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. Texas rebounded from a rare losing season in 2010 to finish 8-5 last year, which still wasn't up the Longhorns' standards. Wyoming has 14 starters back, including eight on defense, from an 8-5 team that lost to Temple in the New Mexico Bowl and is looking for another winning season in the Mountain West Conference.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network. LINE: Texas -29.5

ABOUT TEXAS (8-5, 4-5 Big 12): After combining to win only 13 games the last two seasons, Texas is looking to get back to a BCS bowl this season and once again challenge for the Big 12 title. To do that, however, the Longhorns will need improved quarterback play and must cut down on turnovers after giving it away 26 times last year. While Ash and Case McCoy weren't overly impressive as freshmen last season, they did combine to throw more than 300 passes and hope to be more productive with a year under their belts. Highly regarded freshman Johnathan Gray will complement Malcolm Brown (742 yards last season) in the backfield. The defense, led by ends Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor, should be solid. The Longhorns hope Jeffcoat develops into one of the top ends in the Big 12.

ABOUT WYOMING (8-5, 5-2 MWC): The Cowboys will rely on the backfield trio of junior Brandon Miller, and sophomores Kody Sutton and Nehemie Kankolongo to help compensate for the loss of workhorse running back Alvester Alexander. Sophomore Brett Smith becomes the first non-freshman in four years to start at quarterback for Wyoming. He threw for 2,622 yards and 20 touchdowns last year. The Cowboys boast an experiencing receiving unit, led by Chris McNeill (42 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns). The strength of the defense appears to be in the Cowboys' defensive line, featuring seniors Mike Purcell, Kurt Taufa’asau and B.J. Sumter.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas is 99-17-3 (.845) in openers, including 77-7-2 (.907) at home. Brown has won 13 of his 14 openers at Texas.

2. Texas is 4-0 all-time against Wyoming. The Longhorns posted a 34-7 victory in the last meeting in 2010 in Austin.

3. In 2008, Texas passed Notre Dame to become second on the NCAA's all-time wins list behind Michigan, which leads with 895. Texas has 858 wins and Notre Dame 853. Nebraska (845) and Ohio State (837) complete the top five.

PREDICTION: Texas 42-7