After suffering a season-ending left knee injury on the opening day last season, Georgia running-back Nick Chubb returned with a vengeance on Saturday night.
Carrying the ball on 32 attemps in his return to the field, Chubb terrorized the North Carolina defence to the tune of 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Bulldogs impressive 33-22 win at the Georgia Dome.
Bulldogs run all over Tar Heel defence to build four-point lead at the half
Under new head-coach Kirby Smart, who was previously defensive co-ordinator with Alabama, Georgia fought back from a third-quarter deficit to make a winning start to their season.
Chubb got things going for the Bulldogs in the first-quarter, bulldozing his way over from two yards out for the game's first touchdown following an impressive 10-play 79 yard drive.
North Carolina quarteback Mitch Trubisky snuck over from a yard out to bring the Tar Heels level, before Chubb's reliever Brian Herrien scampered over from 19 yards out to put Georgia up by seven once more.
Smart makes winning start thanks to Chubb excellence
T.J Logan then turned the game on it's head in North Carolina's favour, opening the second-half up by taking a 95-yard kickoff return to the house, before adding a 21 yard rushing touchdown midway through the third quarter as the Heels went up by ten.
On a jet sweep Georgia got themselves back within a score, after Isaiah McKenzie beat the defence to the pylon for six, with a team safety at the beginning of the next drive leaving NC just a point to the good.
William Ham's 29 yard field-goal put the Bulldogs up by two with 5:27 left on the clock, and after a Tar Heel three-and-out, Chubb iced the game with a sensational 55 yard touchdown run to remind everyone of his undoubted talent.
Chubb's Heisman buzz a big boost for Georgia on day of struggles around the SEC
Coming into last season, Todd Gurley's career back-up Chubb was earmarked for a big campaign which was blown to pieces in the first quarter of 2015.
A forgotten man coming into 2016, Chubb's opening day heroics have generated buzz in some quarters that a Heisman push would not be out the question.
If the 20-year-old can maintain this level of performance throughout the season, not only will he push towards individual honours, but the Bulldogs will have a big say come Bowl time.
In the SEC East, Georgia joined South Carolina, Tennessee (just) and Florida in gaining opening weekend victories, with Missouri, Vanderbilt and Kentucky all coming unstuck.
Over in the West, Alabama looked like the all-conquering dominant force once more, but there were disappointing losses elsewhere for LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn.
If Smart can mould a competitive defence, and Jacob Eason's impressive arm strength can help the passing game, Chubb and the likes of Herrien and Sony Michel will provide the rushing attack which may make this Bulldog unit an SEC force in 2016.