Georgia and North Carolina get together in the Georgia Dome on Saturday in what might be one of the more interesting season openers this year.
Georgia vs. UNC 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule and 3 things to know
The Dawgs and Heels could put on a show in the Georgia Dome on Saturday. Here’s how you can tune in, and what to watch for.
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There is no shortage of storylines for Georgia. The Bulldogs have a first-year head coach that’s an alum and a former Nick Saban assistant, a summer-long quarterback competition involving a blue-chip freshman, and the impending return of their star running back from a horrible knee injury. This is the backdrop to the first Georgia football season that doesn’t involve Mark Richt since 2000. We won’t get all the answers this week, but it will be good to finally start seeing games rather than just talking about hypotheticals.
They have a dangerous opponent in North Carolina, though. The Heels broke out in 2015, and came uncomfortably close to completing a comeback that would have snatched the ACC title from Clemson. They have lots of returning talent, but quarterback Mitch Trubisky is beginning his first year as a starter, and it remains to be seen whether he can guide them at the same level they achieved last year.
Showtime for Mitch Trubisky
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Radio: Georgia | North Carolina
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Georgia has been favored by about a field goal.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Dawg Sports for Georgia fans and Tar Heel Blog for North Carolina fans.
Three big things to know
1. Better start fast, Kirby. Expectations are high for Kirby Smart’s first season in Athens. That his return to his alma mater is also his first head coaching job has done little to nothing to temper those expectations. Everyone loves the story of an alum coming home to return his school to glory, but opening with a loss to an ACC team that isn’t Clemson or Florida State would be a terrible way to get started.
2. A big moment for Mitch Trubisky. The Tar Heels have the talent and experience to make another run at the ACC title this year, but the big question mark is at quarterback. Trubisky takes over for longtime starter Marquise Williams, and while he has the blue-chip recruiting pedigree, he doesn't have much in the way of experience. If he hits the ground running, UNC will be a tough team to beat.
3. How does Nick Chubb look? If Chubb is healthy and ready to go, he's one of the best running backs in the country. He may not need to be 100 percent to take advantage of North Carolina's suspect run defense, but there will be plenty of people holding their breath during his first carry to see how he looks following his gruesome knee injury last year.
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