East Carolina has struggled with turnovers all season and knows that if the pattern continues tonight at Houston, it could lead to a second straight lopsided loss.
The Pirates (1-3, 1-0 Conference USA) have committed 11 turnovers in the past two games. They defeated Alabama-Birmingham despite tying a school record with seven turnovers, but last week they had four first-half turnovers, fell behind 28-3 and lost to North Carolina 35-20.
East Carolina leads the nation with 17 turnovers, 10 on fumbles.
"A lot has been made of the turnovers," coach Ruffin McNeill of ECU said. "Anytime (players) get asked about it by the media during interviews, it's only natural it'll be on their minds."
Although McNeill said that his players are working to better protect the football "every day," turnovers could make it even harder to keep up with Case Keenum and the high-scoring Cougars (5-0, 1-0).
"We emphasize strip drills every week," coach Kevin Sumlin of Houston said. "If there is one thing that we have done defensively, it is getting turnovers and creating negative plays.... They have been able to move the ball, and they have had problems with turnovers."
This will be the first out-of-state trip of the season for the Pirates. They opened against South Carolina in Charlotte, then played their next three games in Greenville.
Keenum ranks second in the nation in passing yardage, averaging 401 a game, and leads an offense that averages 45 points and 610 yards.
The teams haven't met since East Carolina's 38-32 home victory in the Conference USA championship game at the end of the 2009 season. Keenum passed for 527 yards and five touchdowns in that game.
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