Brigham Young @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 16, 2015 ) Cincinnati 24, Brigham Young 38

Teams in need of a win to help keep bowl appearances alive meet Saturday when BYU visits Cincinnati. The Bearcats will have a little extra motivation as they seek to extend a streak of consecutive non-conference wins at Nippert Stadium to 31 and avenge a fourth-quarter meltdown last season at BYU.

Cincinnati was looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2015 campaign and compete for the AAC East title, but the Bearcats are 1-4 in league contests and average 13.2 fewer points and 114.5 fewer yards than in non-conference contests. Cincinnati, which has gone to bowls in nine of the last 10 years, was limited to 186 total yards last week in a 34-13 loss at Temple, its lowest offensive total since a 146-yard performance at Rutgers in 2005. BYU, trying to reach an 11th straight bowl, has lost its four games by a combined eight points, including last time out, a 28-27 defeat at then-No. 14 Boise State on Oct. 20 when Rhett Almond's 44-yard field goal with 16 seconds left was blocked. In last season's 38-24 triumph over Cincinnati, the Cougars scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: BYU -7.5.

ABOUT BYU (4-4): Senior quarterback Taysom Hill is averaging just over 200 yards passing per game with nine TDs and seven interceptions to go along with 46.5 yards per game rushing and five scores. Running back Jamaal Williams, who has 942 rushing yards, a 5.7 average and 10 rushing touchdowns, is expected to play after missing the Boise State game with an ankle injury. Safety Kai Nacua, who was just named one of the 16 finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award given to the top defensive back in college football, leads the team with five interceptions - one fewer than last season when he tied the school record - and is fourth in tackles with 35.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (4-4): Senior quarterback Gunner Kiel, who threw for only 199 yards against Temple after passing for 348 a week earlier against East Carolina, will make his second start of the season. Tion Green leads the team in rushing with 477 yards and two TDs, while Nate Cole has 43 catches for 424 yards and four scores and Devin Gray 39 receptions for 563 yards and three scores. Linebacker Eric Wilson leads the AAC and ranks sixth in FBS averaging 11 tackles per game for a defense that has recorded 19 takeaways and 19 sacks, already surpassing last season's totals by five turnovers and six sacks.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kiel threw for 6,031 yards with 50 TDs and 24 interceptions in 2014-15 but missed the Hawaii Bowl last season for an undisclosed personal reason and then most of spring practice with a shoulder ailment.

2. In addition to the Boise State defeat, the Cougars have lost 20-19 to Utah, 17-14 to UCLA and 35-32 to West Virginia.

3. In the Boise State loss, BYU forced five turnovers, including the return of two interceptions for a TD for the first time in the same game since 1989.

PREDICTION: BYU 34, Cincinnati 28