Nick Chubb is up there as the greatest running back for Georgia. But he is also one of the greatest Georgia football players ever. Chubb means a ton to me personally; I am sure Chubb means a lot to y’all. We have a family friend from Ceadertown, Nick Chubb’s hometown. For two years, all I heard from my family friend was about this Chubb guy. That’s all he would talk about. Chubb was a three-star then, and I blew off this great Ceadertown running back. Soon, Chubb became a four-star, and I started to pay attention to him.
At the same time as Chubb’s senior year of high school, I was starting to play high school football in Georgia. Every Friday or Saturday morning, my team would get stats for the entire state, and Nick Chubb was always on the list with stupid numbers. Chubb not only exemplifies a great football player, but he is also a great person.
Chubb gives back to his old high school and his community. Furthermore, in the day and age of social media, Chubb has never done anything wrong in the public eye. Chubb exemplifies what a Damn Good Dawg is and has been a great ambassador for the University of Georgia. My very long freshman year started with the magical 2017 season, and Chubb was the leader of that team. Chubb, personally, is one of my favorite players who ever donned the red& black. With his recent injury, I started thinking about his best moments as a Dawg. Here are the five best I could think of. Let me know what y’all think.
5. Clemson 2014
Little was known at the time about the two freshman running backs that Mark Richt recruited. The main story was Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. But soon, the world would know about Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Chubb was not put into the game until late in the third quarter. His first carry as a Dawg wasn’t anything special, but his second made him a legend. Chubb ran a draw on 3rd and 18 that looked to get stopped for a minimal gain; Chubb ran over two Clemson defenders and then almost made the first down. Not only did that happen in the play, Chubb ran over another Clemson defender who ripped Chubb’s helmet off, and Chubb kept running. Chubb finished his first game with four carries for 70 yards and a touchdown. Chubb soon became a name in Georgia football after that game. Georgia fans believed they found the second coming to Herschel Walker. But for Chubb, there was more to be had; that season, in one game in particular, Chubb carried the offense on his back.
4. 2014 Arkansas
This game is my personal favorite. Georgia was number ten in the country with a 5-1 record. Todd Gurley was recently suspended indefinitely for signing autographs, something the NCAA allows now. Many thought Georgia was going into a losing battle in Little Rock. Desmond Howard said your team cannot hitch its wagon to Chubb. Soon, Chubb made Howard and the rest of the doubters eat their words when he ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Chubb dominated that day, showing everybody that Georgia could hitch their wagon to Chubb. It also gave birth to one of the best memes in Georgia football history. This was the early stages of memes, and for a football meme, it is pretty good.
The Twitter link is here; it wasn’t working for me. Thanks, Elon!
3. 2016 UNC
The 2016 started in Atlanta for the Georgia Bulldogs. A visor-less Kirby Smart was coaching in his first game as the Georgia Head Football Coach. It was also the first game back for Nick Chubb, who suffered a gruesome knee injury up in Knoxville about nine months before. Some had low expectations for Chubb. Some even suggested that Chubb might not be the same back he once was. Chubb ran for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Chubb sealed the game for the Dawgs late in the 4th quarter with a 55-yard touchdown run. I was at that game, and when Chubb ran for that touchdown, it might have been the loudest I have ever heard of the Georgia Dome. That game solidified Kirby Smart as the Georgia head coach and told the rest of the country that Nick Chubb was back.
2. 2017 Kentucky
It was the final game at Sanford Stadium for Nick Chubb. That 2017 season was one of the more magical seasons as a Georgia fan. Georgia just came off of an embarrassing loss to Auburn on the road, and Kentucky was the next game. At that point, the momentum building up that season went away because Auburn “whipped the dog crap out” of Georgia. Georgia bounced back, however, and won the game 42-13. I do not remember much about the game except two things. First, the student body and the rest of the Georgia crowd were at the game exceptionally early. Senior day celebrations were going on pre-game, and many wanted to thank that senior class. When Sony Michel and Nick Chubb ran out of the tunnel, it was the loudest the stadium got all day. The other thing I remember about that game was Jake Fromm nailing a ref right in the face. Chubb dominated the game with 151 yards and two touchdowns. It was a swan song for an excellent career for Chubb.
1. Rose Bowl 2018
This is the single greatest Georgia football game ever. If you disagree, argue with a wall. The only game I would concede the point to would be the 2022 CFP National Title game. Not only was Georgia playing in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1943, the game was a classic. We all know how Georgia fell behind 17 at the half and came back to win the game with a Sony Michel walk-off touchdown. But Nick Chubb had a very underrated game. Chubb ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns. It is crazy to call it underrated when you see the stats, but Sony ran for 181 and scored three touchdowns. Chubb’s last touchdown as a Dawgs was the most important of the game. Late in the 4th quarter, with under a minute to go, Chubb took a direct snap into the endzone to tie the game and eventually take it to overtime. Georgia played a great game, and so did Chubb.
So there you go, Nick Chubb’s greatest games as a Georgia Bulldog. I know the recent news of Chubb’s knee injury does not look great, but I am almost positive he will be back and better than ever. Nick Chubb is Superman (err, Batman), and if he cannot do it, I do not know who would. Chubb has suffered an ugly injury to the same knee before and returned a better football player. I believe he can do it again. Look at Adrian Peterson; many thought he wouldn’t be the same when he returned from a knee injury. The following year, Peterson came yards shy of breaking the all-time single-season rushing record and won the NFL’s MVP. I wouldn’t bet against Nick Chubb.