Georgia checked off all the boxes in its 45-0 rout of Austin Peay on Saturday as it began a 2018 that is so full of promise.

Austin Peay just took its check and went home — which was the plan all along.

For No. 3 Georgia, this game was never in doubt. The Bulldogs entered the game as a 42-point favorite, so no one ever expected Austin Peay to be able to compete on a level playing field. But you never say never, as Bulldogs fans well know. They remember what happened in Kirby Smart’s second game in 2016, his first year in charge of the Bulldogs. They survived a scare from Nicholls State that day, winning only 26-24.

Saturday was different. Completely different.

The Bulldogs looked sharp and crisp right from the get-go, with sophomore starting quarterback Jake Fromm and sophomore running back D’Andre Swift hooking up often in the passing game. The Bulldogs scored on all six full possessions in the first half — and looked good doing it. Fromm was very efficient, completing 12 of 16 passes for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns.

His scoring strikes were to Riley Ridley from 10 yards out to make it 10-0 midway through the first quarter and he hooked up with Mecole Hardman on a 59-yard strike just before halftime.

Ever since Justin Fields arrived on campus in January, there’s been this question about how soon he would get on the field. The answer was midway through the first half. He ran well, which we knew he would do, and he was efficient through the air as well. His first-ever touchdown pass was to tight end Isaac Nauta in the third quarter, which made it 45-0.

We’ve all been curious all of fall camp to see how the carries would be divided with this talented group of running backs. It’s hard to see any long-term trends with a game like this, because everyone got their chances. There were some special moments early, especially from Swift. He had eight carries for 43 yards and a score but also caught four passes.

Nibbling on one cupcake is enough — for now — and things get serious quickly, with the Bulldogs traveling to South Carolina next Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, TV: CBS) for the first SEC road game of the year. After Georgia, the Gamecocks might be the best team in the SEC East, though it’s too early to tell. The Gamecocks won easily on Saturday, beating Coastal Carolina 49-15 at home in their opener.