Northwestern State @ Cincinnati preview

Cincinnati aims to bounce back from a lackluster performance against Illinois when it hosts FCS foe Northwestern State on Saturday. The Bearcats were routed handily despite being a heavy favorite to beat the Fighting Illini. To make matters worse, quarterback Munchie Legaux went down with a knee injury and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Tommy Tuberville looks to avoid the first losing streak of his brief tenure as head coach, and relief should come in the form of the Demons. However, Northwestern State is 2-0 for the first time since 2007, and first-year coach Jay Thomas is eager for a signature victory. The Demons are brimming with confidence after a convincing victory over Southern and are keen to pull off the upset.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN STATE (2-0): Junior quarterback Zach Adkins has been impressive in his first two starts, completing 46-of-71 passes for 564 yards and four touchdowns. The Demons have outscored their opponents 78-31 and are averaging 479.5 yards. The defense tallied six sacks against Southern but will face a stiff test against Cincinnati.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (1-1): Brendon Kay, who has completed 10-of-16 passes so far this season, replaces Legaux as the starting quarterback. Cincinnati's defense surrendered 522 yards against Illinois last weekend, including 312 through the air. Tuberville revealed at his weekly press luncheon that there will be some major personnel changes on both sides of the ball.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cincinnati is 23-5 all-time against FCS opponents, with its last loss coming to Troy in 1999.

2. Tuberville faced off against Northwestern State last year while coaching Texas Tech and came away with a 44-6 victory.

3. The Demons' last FCS playoff appearance came in 2004.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 41, Northwestern State 10