Connecticut @ Western Michigan preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2011 ) Western Michigan 38, Connecticut 31

The University of Connecticut crossed one item off its bucket list last week, traveling to Maryland and beating the Terrapins and former head coach Randy Edsall. With that emotional win behind them, the Huskies will be dealing with a different emotion - revenge - when they visit Western Michigan on Saturday. The Broncos won a 38-31 shootout last season at Connecticut and will be looking to rebound from a narrow 28-23 loss at Minnesota last week in the first of three consecutive home games. The Huskies need to get their offense untracked as they continue a stretch of playing on the road five times in seven games.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com. LINE: Connecticut -1.5

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (2-1): The Huskies generated only 223 yards of total offense and quarterback Chandler Whitmer threw for 68 yards on 10-for-16 passing against Maryland. That was good enough because UConn limited Maryland to 205 yards. Lyle McCombs rushed for a season-high 94 yards - albeit on 27 carries - and has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games. But Whitmer has yet to throw a scoring pass and has been intercepted five times. Sophomore linebacker Yawin Smallwood was named the Big East Conference defensive player of the week after notching 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (1-2): The Broncos have been unable to get their running and passing game in sync, but Dareyon Chance provided a lift by rushing for a career-high 144 yards in the loss at Minnesota. Senior quarterback Alex Carder has struggled against both Big Ten foes this season, but he shredded Connecticut for 479 yards and five touchdowns in last year's victory. Wide receiver Jaime Wilson, a true freshman, appears to be a star in the making. Wilson had 10 catches for 117 yards and a TD against Minnesota, giving him 29 receptions, four TDs and a pair of 100-yard games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Connecticut ranks third nationally in sacks (4.67 per game) but lost starting DE Jesse Joseph for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

2. Western Michigan is 3-8 against the Big East and is hosting a team from the conference for the first time. Connecticut is 17-3 against Mid-American opponents.

3. Huskies LB Smallwood leads the nation with an average of 3.0 tackles for loss per game.

PREDICTION: Western Michigan 27, Connecticut 26