Cincinnati @ Connecticut preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 24, 2015 ) Connecticut 13, Cincinnati 37

Three second-half turnovers not only turned the game around but also turned the home crowd against Cincinnati in its 45-20 loss to USF last week. The Bearcats, with questions at quarterback, look to rebound when they visit Connecticut for an American Athletic Conference game Saturday.

Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville took the responsibility for last week's debacle as freshman quarterback Ross Trail threw three picks and USF broke open a close game by outscoring the Bearcats 21-0 in the second half. Tuberville inserted popular fifth-year quarterback Gunner Kiel into the contest late in the third quarter but Kiel managed little and could be headed back to the bench this week. UConn dropped its second straight game a week ago, hopelessly outmatched at No. 6 Houston 42-14. The Huskies, who generally hang their hats on their strong defense, have allowed 73 points in their last two outings and have been outscored by the Bearcats 119-29 in their last three meetings.

TV: 11:30 a.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Cincinnati -3

ABOUT CINCINNATI (3-2, 0-2 AAC): The Bearcats are 10-2 all-time against UConn (3-0 in AAC games) and hammered the Huskies 37-13 as Kiel threw for 327 yards in last year's contest. But Kiel missed most of the preseason and fell behind Trail and Hayden Moore, who started the first three games of the season but remains doubtful with an ankle injury. “I don’t know when (Moore's) going to be back,'' Tuberville said. "I don’t know if it’s this game or after the open date (Oct. 15).”

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (2-3, 0-2): Senior wide receiver Noel Thomas ranks sixth in the nation (second in the conference) in receptions per game (9.2) and had six catches for 135 yards and a score against Houston last week. The Huskies have still been stout against the run, allowing 118.2 yards a game which ranks 30th in the country, but the Cougars' Greg Ward threw for a career-high 389 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in just more than three quarters last week. That came on the heels of UConn's 31-24 setback against Syracuse when Eric Dungey threw for 407 yards and Amba Etta-Tawo racked up 270 yards on 12 catches.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Bearcats have split their backfield duties with Tion Green has averaging 69 yards per game on the ground and Mike Boone averaging 49.4 yards.

2. Arkeel Newsome leads UConn in rushing with 224 yards on 58 attempts but carried the ball only six times last week.

3. UConn had 25 takeaways in 2015, but only two in 2016.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 23, UConn 21