We know that the Tar Heels can put points on the board, period. Smart was hired to replace Mark Richt and elevate this program into contention for national championships on an annual basis. No matter what they say, no matter how they may argue otherwise, they clearly know there are few opportunities left in their careers at North Carolina to win a truly big game on a truly big stage. The point is, Larry Fedora was not feeling great about his team’s offensive rhythm.
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The game was a battle between two disjointed, not-yet-ready-to-play teams – there were 21 combined penalties for a combined 271 yards, a freaky quarterback rotation from Georgia, a safety that came on a completed pass from inside the end zone, and enough game management errors to fill a season.
Thus far in the season, this has been UNC’s most dominant display.
That work in the summer allowed Smart to feed his star running back all game long, which was critical in a game in which star freshman quarterback Jacob Eason came in as a reserve against a tough opponent. By halftime, Chubb had 122 yards rushing and one touchdown on 20 carries.
Through the air, Georgia chose to start the second quarter with true freshman quarterback, Jacob Eason, after benching starter Greyson Lambert. Last night, Trubisky looked like the first time starter he was. That didn’t come close to happening, as Chubb ran for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns. It’s a big part of the game, and it’s a big adjustment for us because we don’t see that every day, so obviously Coach Tucker has his hands full, as well as the rest of the team. Will Smart and coordinator Jim Chaney give Lambert more than just a couple of series to get the offense on track? There has been plenty of other turmoil this offseason, including suspensions and a quarterback controversy, but the Bulldogs still have plenty of talent on the roster.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Nick Mullens ran for two 1-yard touchdowns – including the go-ahead score late in the third quarter – and passed for two touchdowns as Southern Mississippi scored 34 unanswered points to beat Kentucky in its season opener.
In Fedora’s tenure, the Tar Heels have a total of two notable nonconference wins: Over East Carolina in 2012 and Cincinnati in the 2013 Belk Bowl.
The lasting memory will be when T.J. Logan took the 2nd half kickoff and went 95 yards to the house to put the Tar Heels up. One of them, cornerback Patrice Rene, committed two over-aggressive pass interference penalties on consecutive third-and-longs for Georgia, keeping the Bulldogs’ drive alive TWICE. Nick Chubb is one of college football’s best running backs but is returning from a serious knee injury suffered in Georgia’s sixth game of 2015. Jojo Kemp’s 7-yard touchdown run seemed to provide a cushion that the Wildcats’ defense complemented with three interceptions of Mullens.
Saturday was the clearest example of Chubb’s importance. However, the status of the Bulldogs’ No. 2 back Sony Michel is uncertain after an offseason arm injury.
Even if Michel does not play, Chubb is unsafe on his own.
Chubb’s play pushed the Bulldogs to victory, and when Georgia needed a play to seal the win, it turned to Chubb.
The fact that 40 out of the 59 plays ran offensively were passes is a head scratcher. Preseason All-ACC running back Hood lines up with pass-catchers Bug Howard, Ryan Switzer and Austin Proehl, rounding out the offense on the ground. Carolina has to learn to manage these momentum changing plays. A questionable ineligible receiver downfield penalty took away a 13-yard catch by Austin Proehl, and a first down. And how will Georgia’s revamped defensive line perform against Hood and a standout offensive line?
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After falling behind 24-14, Georgia racked up 214 yards in its next four possessions to energize the Georgia Dome crowd, while holding North Carolina to zero net yards in its next three possessions.
