North Carolina A&T @ North Carolina preview

Senior quarterback Marquise Williams looks to rebound from a career-high three interceptions when his North Carolina squad hosts North Carolina A&T on Saturday. Williams, who was picked off only five times in his last nine contests of 2014 while throwing for 3,068 yards, was intercepted twice in the end zone in the 17-13 loss to South Carolina last Thursday.

“It wasn’t really jitters,” Williams told reporters. “I’ve been playing the game a long time. It’s my fifth year. They were just stupid mistakes I made.” The Tar Heels could be pleased with a lot of things from their opener, including new coordinator Gene Chizik’s defense that bent but did not break and Elijah Hood’s career-best 138 yards rushing. But North Carolina can only look forward now and won’t have it easy against FCS member A&T, which is coming off a 9-3 season and a 61-7 victory over Shaw to start 2015. Running back Tarik Cohen has recorded 2,594 yards rushing – 106 with two TDs last week – in just over two seasons for the Aggies.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: NL

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA A&T (1-0): Cohen, the MEAC preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has a chance to become the school’s all-time leading rusher at the end of his junior year. Freshman quarterback Lamar Raynard threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns last week in his career debut after supplanting last year’s starter Kwashaun Quick. Raynard’s top target is junior Denzel Keyes, who is coming off a career day in which he caught six passes for 119 yards and a pair of scores.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (0-1): Williams still had 232 yards passing against a solid South Carolina defense and boasts plenty of weapons with four players returning that had at least 450 receiving yards. Bug Howard registered career highs with six receptions and 114 yards last week and multi-purpose threat Ryan Switzer caught six balls as well. Chizik’s defense allowed 254 yards rushing while South Carolina managed only 140 through the air as linebacker Jeff Schoettmer and safety Donnie Miles led the way with 12 tackles each.

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Carolina G Landon Turner was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping the Tar Heels gain 6.5 yards per carry.

2. The Aggies had a school-record 21 interceptions last year and picked off a pair in the opener against Division II Shaw.

3. Tar Heels WR Quinshad Davis became the ninth player with at least 2,000 receiving yards (2,028) in school history last week and needs 20 to pass Erik Highsmith for seventh most.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 38, North Carolina A&T 14