Baylor @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2011 ) Texas 24, Baylor 48

Defense will be placed on the backburner when Baylor visits Texas on Saturday in a matchup of suddenly struggling Big 12 Conference rivals. Both squads have lost two straight games and looked defenseless in doing so. Baylor has been torched for 119 points in its back-to-back defeats, while the Longhorns have been pierced for 111 in their last two. That each team owns winning records speaks to a pair of potent offenses. Baylor put up more than 54 points per game before getting drilled at home by TCU last week. Similarly, Texas had averaged more than 46 points prior to getting crushed by Oklahoma.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Texas -11

ABOUT BAYLOR (3-2, 0-2 Big 12): If there is such a thing as a "good" loss, Baylor had one when it fell in a wild 70-63 slugfest at West Virginia on Sept. 29. The Bears, despite a week off, proceeded to take a major step backward in a turnover-riddled 49-21 loss to TCU. Quarterback Nick Florence, who entered the game as the nation's leader in total offense, threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted four times. One bright spot was the continued stellar play of wideout Terrance Williams, who hauled in scoring passes of 77 and 74 yards in his fourth straight two-touchdown game. Williams' 830 yards are tops nationally. Florence has thrown for 1,874 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

ABOUT TEXAS (4-2, 1-2): The Longhorns had moved into the top 10 after opening the season with four wins, but have dropped out of the rankings following a 48-45 shootout loss to West Virginia and last week's humbling 63-21 beating by archrival Oklahoma. Texas was inept in all phases, falling behind 36-2 at halftime and failing to score an offensive touchdown until the final six minutes. Quarterback David Ash, who entered the game ranked third nationally in passer efficiency, was 13-of-29 for only 113 yards and two interceptions. Ash left the game with a left wrist injury but said he will play against Baylor. Texas gave up 343 yards on the ground last week and has yielded a Big 12-worst 5.14 yards per carry.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor has won the last two meetings, but has never beaten the Longhorns three straight times.

2. Texas has amassed at least 400 yards - including 557 last season - in 18 of the last 19 games versus the Bears.

3. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 73-24-4 and had won 12 straight prior to losing the last two matchups.

PREDICTION: Texas 41, Baylor 35