GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The college football season gets underway this Saturday when North Carolina A&T travels to Montgomery, Alabama for a date with Jacksonville State.  The meeting will be televised nationally by ESPN, which has not gone unnoticed by new Aggies Head Coach Sam Washington.

"We're looked upon on a national level," Washington said Monday.  "I am so tickled pink, and happy,  that ESPN thought enough of our brand to invite us to play a top-10, 1-AA football team.  That says a lot about what we are.  Life is about growth, and I think that's what we are doing here.  We're growing."

Some might call the Aggies "grown," after a perfect season a year ago, capped off by a 21-14 win over Grambling State in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

Rod Broadway was the leader of the Aggie program, but after the undefeated season, capped by the Bowl win, Broadway retired, opening the door for Washington to take over.  Now that Washington is atop the coaching tree, he says the only thing about him that has changed, is his job title.

"The only difference, primarily for me," Washington said, "I have to know what the offense is doing, I have to know what the special teams (units) are doing, where in the past, it was primarily just defense."  

"I have a lot of confidence in Coach (Chris) Barnette, and his staff, offensively.  We'll do some good things," Washington said.

The Aggies return eight starters on defense, and offensively, quarterback Lamar Raynard is back to guide the Aggie attack.  Last season, North Carolina A&T averaged 35 points per game, while allowing just under 15 per contest.

In spite of a coaching change, it sounds like the Aggies are about to pick up where they left off.