Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
GEORGIA’S CHUBB
returns to form for Bulldogs.
ATLANTA — Nick Chubb rushed for 222 yards in his return from a gruesome knee injury, including a 55-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that clinched No. 18 Georgia’s 33-24 victory over No. 22 North Carolina in Kirby Smart’s debut as the Bulldogs’ coach Saturday night.
Chubb scored two touchdowns for Georgia (1-0), sending the largely red-clad crowd at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game into delirium when he broke loose down the right sideline with 3:34 remaining and the Bulldogs clinging to a two-point lead over the Tar Heels (0-1).
Leaving no doubt he was fully recovered from a knee injury that looked like it might be career-threatening, Chubb carried 32 times and was every bit as dominating as the Heisman-touted back he was before.
“It felt amazing,” Chubb said. “It took my mind off everything. I was just out there playing with my boys.”
Georgia also got some promising play from freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, who didn’t start but was on the field as the Bulldogs rallied from a 24-14 deficit in the second half.
North Carolina ripped off 17 consecutive points, including two touchdowns by T.J. Logan that included a 95-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
But two pass interference penalties on freshman cornerback Patrice Rene set up a touchdown that got Georgia back in the game, and two more penalties — one an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on North Carolina Coach Larry Fedora — backed the Tar Heels up deep in their own territory, leading to a safety when Elijah Hood caught a short pass in the end zone and was quickly knocked down.
Fifth-year senior Greyson Lambert started at quarterback for Georgia, but Eason — a touted freshman Georgia fans were clamoring to see — hooked up with Isaiah McKenzie on a 51-yard pass that set up William Ham’s go-ahead, 29-yard field goal with 5:27 remaining.
Eason was 8 of 12 for 131 yards and a touchdown, while Lambert was sacked three times while going 5 of 8 for 54 yards.
Smart, the longtime Alabama defensive coordinator, was coaching a team of his own for the first time.
“It felt really weird,” Smart said, chuckling. “A comedy of errors. I had to flip over on my headphones, trying to figure out who I was talking to. That was different for me. I was trying to find the special teams. I didn’t feel like I was coaching my players, which I always felt was my best asset. It was a unique experience for me that I will build on and learn from.”