Early in the second quarter, Chubb put his power on full display. After navigating through the defense for a 10-yard gain moments earlier, he patiently waited for a delayed handoff and sprinted through the line.
Georgia native Mikey Bart read the play perfectly, peeling off the edge and assuming perfect position to challenge the Bulldogs’ back.
But it wasn’t enough.
Chubb bowled over the 270-pound defensive end and pirouetted away, picking up an additional 14 yards before Jones and safety Donnie Miles desperately dragged him down.
“A lot of backs, they get a little timid or they might slow up when they see somebody coming,” Jones said. “That guy speeds up.”
Despite the running back’s early dominance, the Tar Heels mounted a 10-point lead over Georgia in the third quarter. But the UNC offense’s desperate heaves downfield weren’t enough to keep up in the battle for field position.
Meanwhile, Chubb kept chugging away, wearing down UNC’s defense and pushing the Bulldogs closer to the end zone. By the end of the third period, the talented tailback had set the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game rushing record — and his team was one point away from seizing control.
It was the second game in a row the Tar Heels allowed a record-breaking rushing performance, as their abysmal run defense fell apart in a 49-38 loss in the 2015 Russell Athletic Bowl. Baylor’s quarterback situation was nonexistent, and everyone in the stadium knew the Bears would rush the ball. But UNC watched helplessly as Baylor rushed for seven touchdowns and 645 yards, the most in NCAA bowl history.
Last season, UNC was still learning the 4-3 defense installed by defensive coordinator Gene Chizik. But on Saturday — after months of offseason preparation — it seemed nothing had changed. And even when the Tar Heels threw an all-out blitz at Chubb, it wasn’t enough.
When Georgia took possession with a two-point lead and 3:45 left, everyone in the Georgia Dome knew the Bulldogs would rush the ball. All 11 Tar Heels on the field watched as Chubb took the toss and barreled down the field — hurtling into the one gap that UNC hadn’t covered.
Lawrence, Miles and linebacker Cole Holcomb collapsed on the Bulldog ballcarrier, but it wasn’t enough. Chubb danced past the helpless defenders and into open space, where he beat cornerback M.J. Stewart in a footrace to the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown to seal the game.
“We had a couple guys that had opportunities to make the tackle on them,” Fedora said. “But we won’t be the only ones that don’t make a tackle on that guy.”
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
It was Chubb’s final carry in a masterful performance to single-handedly bury UNC — and leave its players dumbfounded on how to stop him.
“I don’t know ... He’s just a person,” Holcomb said. “Just hit ‘em, drive your legs and wrap ‘em up. That’s about it.”
Once again, even the fundamentals weren’t enough for UNC. And while Chubb might be just a person, he’s one who will haunt the Tar Heels’ dreams nonetheless.
@CJacksonCowart
sports@dailytarheel.com
