Virginia @ BYU preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2013 ) Brigham Young 16, Virginia 19

With a pair of the swiftest legs in the country and much-improved accuracy, Brigham Young quarterback Taysom Hill has become a contender for the Heisman Trophy. If he wants to take the next step toward national recognition Saturday at home for the 23rd-ranked Cougars, Hill must overcome a stingy Virginia defense that picked him off late in the fourth quarter last season and converted it into a game-winning touchdown. The surprising Cavaliers, coming off a 2-10 record in 2013, played nationally-ranked UCLA tough before handing Louisville its first loss last week.

Hill threw for 200 yards and ran for 160 - becoming only the 14th FBS quarterback to surpass 4,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards by their junior season - as BYU jumped to a 23-point lead against Houston on Sept. 11 and coasted to a 33-25 victory. Despite all of his offense, the Cougars have made plenty of mistakes with 32 penalties, seven turnovers and 11 sacks allowed this season. Virginia knocked off Louisville 23-21 and is yielding 354 yards per game while averaging four sacks.

TV: 3:30 ET, ESPN. LINE: BYU -14

ABOUT VIRGINIA (2-1): The Cavaliers held Louisville to 282 yards, forcing four turnovers, and held UCLA and Heisman-hopeful Brett Hundley to 358 yards in a 28-20 Week 1 loss. Linebacker Henry Coley leads the team with 29 tackles, six for loss, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Generating offense in the road opener could be an issue, as the Cavaliers have managed to gain only 3.3 yards per rush and quarterback Greyson Lambert is averaging fewer than 10 yards a completion with just two touchdown passes despite completing 67.7 percent of his passes.

ABOUT BRIGHAM YOUNG (3-0): Hill, who leads all FBS quarterbacks with six rushing TDs, was 13-of-40 for 175 yards last season as the Cougars were held to a season-low 362 yards in the 19-16 loss at Virginia, but he has improved his accuracy from 54 percent last season to 68.4 percent in 2014. Jamaal Williams, who ran for 1,233 yards last season and has 228 this year in two games, should help Hill challenge the Virginia front seven. The most pleasant surprise on defense has been a line that has been instrumental in holding rushing attacks to 54.3 yards per game and 2.1 per carry despite returning just one starter.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Virginia has scored 44 points off turnovers this year after recording only 13 all of last season.

2. BYU has 13 scores (10 TDs) in 14 attempts this season in the red zone after scoring on 46-of-56 attempts with 27 TDs in 2013.

3. Virginia, which leads the series 3-1 including a 45-40 win at BYU in 1999, is 3-10 in road openers since 2001 and has lost its last five road contests overall.

PREDICTION: BYU 24, Virginia 13