North Carolina @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 18, 2014 ) Georgia Tech 43, North Carolina 48

Mitch Trubisky enjoyed a breakout performance last week, but it was not enough to earn him North Carolina’s starting quarterback position. The Tar Heels plan on starting Marquise Williams in Saturday’s road contest against Georgia Tech, even though Trubisky earned ACC offensive back of the week honors after passing for 312 yards and four touchdowns in a rout of Delaware.

North Carolina coach Larry Fedora has told reporters Williams, who sat out the second half after a sluggish first two quarters, remains the team’s starter. The Tar Heels come into their conference opener 16th nationally in scoring defense (14.8), but surrendered 279 yards on the ground last week. The Yellow Jackets’ vaunted rushing offense ranks sixth in the nation, but totaled just 173 yards in last week’s 34-20 loss at Duke, one week after struggling in a 30-22 loss at Notre Dame. Both offenses could break loose if recent history is any indication: the two teams have combined to score more than 50 points in four of the past five matchups, including the highest-scoring game in ACC history (a 68-50 Georgia Tech victory in 2012).

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Georgia Tech -7.5

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (3-1, 0-0 ACC): Trubisky was outstanding last week, completing 17-of-20 passes and hooking up with receiver Mack Hollins – the ACC receiver of the week – three times for 100 yards, after Williams only completed six of his 12 attempts. Williams does hold the school record for rushing yards (1,708) and touchdowns (24) by a quarterback, and ranks fourth in passing yards (5,604), and Fedora is counting on a bounce-back performance against the Yellow Jackets. Strong safety Donnie Miles is fourth in the ACC in tackles per game (nine), leading a defense that has surrendered only nine scoring drives through four games.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (2-2, 0-1 ACC): The Yellow Jackets average 326 rushing yards per contest, but mustered just 2.9 per attempt against the Blue Devils and could only produce two field goals off three forced turnovers. Quarterback Justin Thomas has looked frazzled the past two weeks, completing just 14-of-45 passes while Georgia Tech has averaged 194.5 yards rushing in its losses (after averaging 457.5 in blowout victories over Alcorn State and Tulane). The Yellow Jackets lead the FBS in fewest penalties (seven) and fewest penalty yards (59).

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Carolina has not allowed an opponent to return a punt so far this season, and its offense has only punted nine times.

2. Georgia Tech RB Patrick Skov, a Stanford transfer, has scored seven of the Yellow Jackets’ 24 touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving).

3. The Yellow Jackets have forced 33 turnovers in 13 victories since the start of 2014, scoring 171 points off those miscues.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 31, North Carolina 27