Georgia Tech @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) North Carolina 20, Georgia Tech 28

Georgia Tech scored a season-low in points during its first loss of the season last week, but the Yellow Jackets have an ample opportunity to get back on track Saturday when they travel to North Carolina. The Tar Heels have allowed an average of 43.3 points per game - second worst in the nation - in losing four of their first six contests, giving up 50 or more points three times during their four-game losing streak. Offense has not been a problem for North Carolina, which saw quarterback Marquise Williams pass for 303 yards and rush for a career-best 132 yards in last week’s 50-43 defeat at Notre Dame.

“That guy played his heart out,” North Carolina coach Larry Fedora told reporters of Williams’ performance. “He really gave everything he had out there.” Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas fueled the Yellow Jackets’ season-opening five-game winning streak and is second among FBS quarterbacks in rushing per game (98.2 yards), but threw a pair of costly interceptions before being replaced late in last week’s 31-25 loss to Duke. Thomas and Williams are two of eight FBS quarterbacks to lead their team in rushing yards and passing yards.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Georgia Tech -2.5

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (5-1, 2-1 ACC): Thomas turned his ankle late in the first half last week and Tim Byerly came on in the final nine minutes to engineer two touchdown drives, but Thomas is expected to start Saturday. He is a focal point of a rushing attack that is seventh in the nation with 294.7 yards per game, but coach Paul Johnson looks for a better performance after three turnovers and 69 penalty yards short-circuited Georgia Tech’s hope of a 6-0 start. “Hopefully you can learn from it and move on,” Johnson told reporters after the game. “I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t disappointed.”

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (2-4, 0-2): Williams, the ACC offensive back of the week, completed 24-of-41 passes last week and is one of only two players in school history (Ronald Curry) to surpass 3,000 career passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Opposing offenses, though, are averaging 508 yards per game against the North Carolina defense. The Tar Heels have not helped themselves, averaging 9.5 penalties and two turnovers per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia Tech leads the nation in third-down conversion percentage (58.9 percent).

2. Williams passed for two touchdowns, rushed for a score and caught a touchdown pass last week – the second time in his career he has recorded a rushing, passing and receiving TD in the same game.

3. The Yellow Jackets have won the past five meetings and eight of nine, and lead the all-time series 28-18-3.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 34, North Carolina 27