Georgia put on its best ground game performance of the season last Saturday against No. 9 Ole Miss.
The No. 1 Bulldogs (10-0, 7-0 SEC) rushed for a season-high 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-17 win over the Rebels (8-2, 5-2). They also averaged a season-high 8.6 yards per rush as a team.
Georgia running back Kendall Milton, who has battled injuries throughout his entire time as a Bulldog, rushed for a career-high 127 yards on nine attempts with two touchdowns against Ole Miss.
“This was real Georgia football to me. This is the Georgia I grew up watching. This is the Georgia that I came in as a freshman, sophomore, junior year,” Milton said. “This is the standard of Georgia football. So, I feel like we got our foot in the door and we’re on the right track right now.”
Milton’s first touchdown of the contest came with Georgia leading 21-14 late in the second quarter. The senior’s seven-yard scoring rush extended the Bulldogs’ momentum heading into the half.
Milton put the game away with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter. He scored from 33 yards out, running past defenders en route to the end zone and putting the Bulldogs up 35-14.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was happy to see Milton excel after having an up-and-down college career.
“I thought that was like the toughest I’ve seen [Milton] run,” Smart said. “He ran through tackles, he ran through people’s faces. He ran like he was mad. He approached the whole week that way.”
Milton thanked his offensive line, which paved the way for him to break off long runs.
“I love them boys,” Milton said. “I promised them boys, 100 yards, they get dinner. I’m going to play my part. But the line came out with the attitude. Everybody in the locker room before the game was teary-eyed — ‘It’s Senior Day, it’s the last one in Sanford.’ But they came out with an attitude.”
Georgia’s 300-yard performance last Saturday eclipsed the 291 yards it rushed for against Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs moved the ball fluidly and consistently for the first this year on the ground.
Milton wasn’t the only Georgia running back to have a prolific performance.
Daijun Edwards was also productive, totaling 59 yards on 12 rushes for 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Roderick Robinson and Andrew Paul also shined, combining for 69 yards and a score.
Bulldog senior quarterback Carson Beck, who passed for 300 yards against Ole Miss, said his job was easy.
“It helps the entire offense when I can just sit there, catch the ball, and hand it off,” Beck said. “And next thing you know, we’re going 50 yards. I don’t have to do much in those situations, you know? The (offensive line) is just up there tearing it up, opening up the holes. The running backs are hitting them, making the corners and DBs (defensive backs) miss. So, it’s fun to watch.”