Central Michigan @ Virginia preview

Bronco Mendenhall was hired by Virginia to engineer a turnaround for that struggling program, but he instead finds himself in uncharted territory amid a winless start. Mendenhall's crew will try to break into the win column for the first time when it hosts unbeaten Central Michigan on Saturday in the final non-conference game for both teams.

"This is a first. I haven’t been 0-3 before," Mendenhall told reporters this week. "It’s interesting, it doesn’t feel like that to me now. I’m focusing so much on what I see as growth and improvement, and I’m completely engrossed in the task." That task involves getting his players to move on from a 13-10 loss at Connecticut, as walk-on kicker Alex Furbank missed a 20-yard field-goal try as time expired, pushing the Cavaliers to the brink of their first 0-4 start since 1982. Kurt Benkert is averaging over 232.7 yards passing but has thrown four interceptions and Virginia enters the weekend tied for 122nd among FBS teams in turnover margin (-1.67). The Chippewas followed up their dramatic - and controversial - win at Oklahoma State two weeks ago with a 44-21 win over UNLV last Saturday, as Cooper Rush threw for six touchdown passes.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, RSN. LINE: Central Michigan -3

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (3-0): Rush ranks in the top 10 among FBS passers in yards (957) and TDs (11) and he surpassed the 10,000-yard mark for his career last week, moving into 10th place all-time among Mid-American Conference quarterbacks. His favorite target has been senior Jesse Kroll (12 catches, 205 yards), but three others have at least 150 yards and six different players have caught a TD pass for the 19th-ranked passing attack in FBS play. The Chippewas, who lost 55-21 at Virginia in the only prior meeting in 1996, can improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1985.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (0-3): After opening 26-of-34 with three touchdowns in a season-opening loss to Richmond, Benkert has completed just 53.1 percent of his passes with two scores and three picks over his last two games. Senior Albert Reid has emerged as a solid complement out of the backfield with 227 yards on 6.3 per carry, scoring once each of the last two weeks. The defense has allowed one touchdown in its last five quarters and junior defensive end Andrew Brown was dominant against the Huskies, posting 3.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cavaliers RB Taquan Mizzell had six receptions last week and has at least one catch in 36 straight games, tied for the third-longest active streak in the nation.

2. Four of Central Michigan WR Corey Willis' 11 receptions have gone for touchdowns.

3. Virginia is 11-2-1 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference, while Central Michigan is 0-13 against teams currently in the ACC.

PREDICTION: Virginia 24, Central Michigan 23