Two of the Group of 5’s top teams will square off in Thursday night action when No. 25 BYU hosts Houston on ESPN.
How to watch BYU vs. Houston: Preview, TV schedule, live online streaming and more
Can BYU stay undefeated against a potentially dangerous opponent?
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
BYU is fresh off a blowout win over Texas, and a mostly friendly schedule gives the Cougars an outside shot at running the table. Houston is one of the tougher opponents on that schedule, and BYU will have to deal with a very dangerous passing offense as well as a Houston defense that just shut out Grambling State. BYU's looking quite good, however: it's winning games by an average margin of 38 to 8.5, and could very well be back as an Independent powerhouse.
Houston’s start to the season has not been quite so smooth, despite a strong performance last week. The Cougars were widely picked to be one of the favorites in the American Athletic Conference but opened the season with a 27-7 home loss to UTSA. Houston responded well against FCS Grambling State, strolling to a 47-0 victory and nearly putting up 500 yards of total offense, but its vaunted passing attack barely made a dent against the Roadrunners in Week 1.
How to witness
Our sites on these teams
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: BYU is ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll. Houston is not ranked in either poll. BYU holds a 1-0 lead in the all-time series, winning last year’s game 47-46.
Vegas: BYU opened as a 14-point home favorite. The line has since moved to 18.5.
Weather forecast: 61 degrees and clear.
Three names to know
Taysom Hill, QB, BYU. The junior from Pocatello, Idaho, burst onto the national scene last year in BYU’s blowout of Texas. In this year’s blowout of the Longhorns? Oh, he just outran four Texas defenders and hurdled a fifth for a touchdown. Hill has seen a drastic increase in his passing game this season (his completion percentage has jumped from 53.9 percent last year to 73.0 percent) and he has already run for five touchdowns -- halfway to his 2013 total.
Bronson Kaufusi, LB, BYU. At 6’7 and 265 pounds, Kaufusi was tough for offensive lines to deal with when he was playing defensive end. Now moved to outside linebacker, the junior now causes extra problems for opposing quarterbacks just because of his size. Let BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall explain:
"I like him," Mendenhall said. "When you look to throw the ball to wherever he is — standing back where I was with the quarterback — you don't see much on the other side of ‘Skinny Bronson,' in terms of wingspan and everything."
In two games, Kaufusi has three tackles for a loss, two sacks and two quarterback hurries.
Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston. A former four-star prospect out of California, Greenberry was widely expected to end up at Notre Dame. He shocked the recruiting world when he signed with Houston instead, and has excelled in each of his three years with the school. After leading the AAC in receiving last season, the junior has caught 11 passes for 206 yards this year.
Two things at stake
For BYU, a shot at an undefeated record and a possible major bowl bid is at stake. Houston is one of the tougher opponents on the schedule, but one BYU should beat if the team thinks it deserves a chance at great glory.
Houston’s national stock has fallen since the preseason, thanks in large part to its loss against UTSA. Beating a team that blew out Texas would go a long way toward restoring that.
Further reading
For more BYU coverage, head to Vanquish the Foe. For more on Houston and the rest of the AAC, check out Underdog Dynasty.
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