Georgia @ North Carolina preview

The storylines do not lack for No. 16-ranked Georgia entering Saturday’s season opener against No. 20 North Carolina in Atlanta, but the biggest is on the sidelines as former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart returns home to coach his alma mater. A return to health for running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel could push Georgia toward the top of the SEC East, but the Tar Heels pose a stiff opening challenge in Smart’s head coaching debut.

“When it comes to game day, I think the confidence in what we’ve done to this point allows me to be comfortable with where we are,” said Smart, who has yet to name either freshman Jacob Eason or senior Greyson Lambert the starter at quarterback. The Tar Heels finished unbeaten in ACC play last season, winning 11 games in a row before falling to eventual national runner-up Clemson in the ACC championship game. Tailback Elijah Hood leads a host of returners but the big question rests at quarterback, where Mitch Trubisky takes over for the graduated Marquise Williams. “I’m convinced he’s our guy,” UNC coach Larry Fedora said of Trubisky. “Coming off the bench in a relief role and being the starter, there’s a difference there … but his role doesn’t change.”

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Georgia -2.5

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (2015: 11-3): Trubisky completed 40-of-47 passes in 2015 and has thrown 11 touchdowns while spelling Williams the past two seasons. Hood looks to build on an outstanding sophomore season in which he rushed for 17 scores and averaged 6.7 yards per carry en route to rushing for 1,463 yards. The Tar Heels had issues at times on defense last season in allowing 24.5 points per game (14.5 points fewer than 2014), but are returning leading tackler Donnie Miles to anchor the secondary.

ABOUT GEORGIA (2015: 10-3): Eason will end up starting at some point in the season – potentially as soon as Saturday – but the return of Chubb (747 yards, 8.1 per carry) from a ghastly knee injury and Michel from a broken arm suffered last month are critical. Strong safety Dominick Sanders intercepted six passes last season, tying for the SEC lead and setting a school record with 205 yards on interception returns. Any hopes to win the East rest on a five-game stretch starting in late September against Ole Miss, and includes matchups with division foes Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida.

EXTRA POINTS

1. UNC WR Ryan Switzer holds the ACC record for most punts returned for a touchdown (seven), one off the NCAA record held by Wes Welker (Texas Tech) and Antonio Perkins (Oklahoma).

2. Chubb was cleared Monday for the opener; he has rushed for 2,294 yards and 21 touchdowns in 19 career games.

3. Tar Heels WR Mack Hollins – who averaged a NCAA-best 24.8 yards per catch last season – is suspended for the first half Saturday due to a targeting penalty in UNC’s loss to Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

PREDICTION: Georgia 24, UNC 21