Kansas @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 27, 2012 ) Texas 21, Kansas 17

Texas returns home Saturday for the first time in more than a month with a chance to take sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference. A resurgent defense has helped the Longhorns - who are tied with idle Baylor atop the Big 12 - win four straight league games. An anemic offense, which will again be without receiver/running back Tony Pierson (concussion), has left visiting Kansas with four consecutive losses and a 25-game losing streak in Big 12 play.

The Jayhawks will continue splitting time between quarterback Jake Heaps and freshman Montell Cozart, who took about half the snaps in last week's loss to Baylor. Texas has ruled out quarterback David Ash (concussion), who has only played one half in the past five games. Case McCoy is 3-1 as a starter this season and the Longhorns gave Tyrone Swoopes one series against Texas Christian in the hopes of getting the freshman some experience.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network. LINE: Texas -28.

ABOUT KANSAS (2-5, 0-4 Big 12): The Jayhawks, ranked 116th in points scored (17.7) and 117th in total offense (290.6 yards), have been outscored 174-66 in four league losses. Running back James Sims, who rushed for 176 yards in last year's 21-17 loss to Texas, needs four yards to pass Laverne Smith (3,074 yards, 1973-76) for third place on the school's career rushing list. Heaps has thrown a touchdown pass in all seven games this season, the longest streak by a Kansas quarterback since Todd Reesing had a 24-game streak snapped in 2009.

ABOUT TEXAS (5-2, 4-0): Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, hired two games into the season, has helped turn around the Texas defense, which leads the league with 19.5 points allowed in Big 12 games. The Longhorns have allowed 150.8 fewer total yards and 185.9 fewer rushing yards per conference game than during their 1-2 start. Coach Mack Brown said the defensive line of Cedric Reed, Malcom Brown, Chris Whaley and Jackson Jeffcoat - who is tied for the Big 12 lead with six sacks - are rushing the passer as good as anybody in the country.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas' four conference wins have come against teams with a combined 14-16 record while its next five opponents, including ranked Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Baylor, are 25-12.

2. The Longhorns have outscored Kansas by an average of better than 29 points during their 10-game win streak against the Jayhawks.

3. Heaps threw for 192 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as a Brigham Young sophomore in a 17-16 loss at Texas in 2011.

PREDICTION: Texas 41, Kansas 13