Houston @ BYU preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2013 ) Brigham Young 47, Houston 46

Houston doesn't have a lot of time to prepare for its trip to Brigham Young on Thursday, so coach Tony Levine is going to refer back to last year's hard-fought 47-46 loss to BYU. "It'll be a physical game," Levine said Saturday. "It certainly was last year and (BYU) is a physical program. They are always one of the top defenses in the nation. It is about us and how we feel we can play. We have got to do a great job with turnovers and turnover margin and we've got to fly around and tackle on defense and get those guys on the ground." Houston felt pretty good Saturday after a 47-0 beating of Grambling State, forcing six turnovers and scoring a defensive touchdown.

Houston will try to keep BYU's defense - which has been impressive in two lopsided victories - off-balance by using different personnel in the backfield. John O'Korn showed improvements between the first and second week and the club has used receivers Greg Ward Jr. and Daniel Spencer at quarterback in special packages. BYU quarterback Taysom Hill has accounted for 685 total yards, five rushing touchdowns and three scoring passes on the way to back-to-back FBS Independent Offensive Player of the Week honors.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Brigham Young -18.5

ABOUT HOUSTON (1-1): O'Korn has completed 52.2 percent of his passes for 404 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions while Ward Jr. (five carries for 22 yards and a score) and Spencer (two carries for minus-1 yard) have mostly been used on running plays. Kenneth Farrow leads the ground game with 151 yards after a career-high 130 against Grambling State. Houston is allowing 342.5 yards and has forced a turnover in 25 straight games - the third-longest active streak in the country.

ABOUT BRIGHAM YOUNG (2-0): BYU is allowing 8.5 points and just 76.5 yards rushing after road wins over Connecticut (35-10) and Texas (41-7). Hill has completed 73 percent of his passes and is averaging 5.4 yards per run while Jamaal Williams rushed for 89 yards against Texas. Linebacker Bronson Kaufusi, who had two sacks against UConn, left the Texas game with an ankle injury and his status is unknown.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Houston has forced multiple turnovers in 21 of its last 23 games.

2. WR Jordan Leslie leads BYU with nine catches for 107 yards and has hauled in a pass in 30 straight contests.

3. BYU is 37-2 under 10th-year coach Bronco Mendenhall when it scores 40 or more points.

PREDICTION: Brigham Young 41, Houston 20