MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Georgia running back Kendall Milton ran like a man possessed against Florida State.
Milton rushed for 104 yards on nine attempts (11.6 yards per carry) and a career-high two touchdowns in the No. 6 Bulldogs' 63-3 rout of the No. 5 Seminoles in the Orange Bowl on Saturday.
Milton had the chance to opt out of the game, but assured the media after the loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game that he was going to play. This game "mattered" to Milton.
"It mattered to me because it's a game. You want to take every game seriously," Milton said. "No matter what the level is, you have to prepare the same way because, at the end of the day, this is top-level college football any given week, so we took that very personally. And also just being able to go out there with the guys. This is a team that, after this game, it's not going to be the same next year. People are going to go to the league, some to the portal, some might not play football. This team might not ever be the same."
Milton put Georgia on top late in the first quarter with a 15-yard touchdown run, making it his ninth consecutive game with a rushing score. The Bulldogs never looked back after that.
Milton totaled 89 of 104 yards in the first quarter on six carries, with a long of 43. His performance in the opening quarter was also more than double the amount of yardage FSU had.
The California native scored his second touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. Milton's final touchdown also pushed him over the 90-yard mark and put Georgia up two scores.
After the game, Milton expressed how he couldn't have accomplished all of those things without his teammates. He said the bond and "brotherhood" in the Georgia locker room is strong.
"Everybody took it to heart, and I'm just blessed to be with a group of guys like that," Milton said. "I've been fighting tears all week, before the game fighting tears, after the game fighting tears because this team is a family. Some people just say it. But this team is a real brotherhood."
As a team, Georgia rushed for a total of 372 yards on 47 attempts, averaging 7.9 yards per carry. Also, five of the Bulldogs' nine touchdowns against the Seminoles came on the ground.
Senior Daijun Edwards and freshman Roderick Robinson III also provided a spark to the run game. Redshirt freshman Andrew Paul and redshirt sophomore Cash Jones also came in clutch.
"I was jumping more on the sideline for them than I was for my own touchdowns, because those are my little brothers," Milton added. "I look at them as little brothers. Like I took them under my wing because, at the end of the day, this is a family. So to see them achieve success and do the things they've been working all year for even when they haven't got all the opportunities, there were games they didn't get into, they were frustrated throughout the week in practice or whatever, they still stuck it and kept fighting all the way."
Milton finished his senior campaign with 790 yards, and a team-best 14 touchdowns in 13 games.
Milton's 14 touchdowns are also the most of any Georgia tailback since the 2017 season when Sony Michel (16 touchdowns) and Nick Chubb (15 touchdowns) played for the Bulldogs.
Milton's career at Georgia has been riddled with injuries, but he battled through the pain of the past few years on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium. He got to leave the field with a smile.
"To be with Coach (Kirby) Smart after the game, he told me how proud he was of me. I feel like if anybody knows, Coach Smart knows what I've been through here at Georgia," Milton said. "This hasn't been an easy or smooth journey. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and a lot of speed bumps along the way. I stuck it out, (and) I ended up making it to the end."
Smart reiterated how joyful he was to see Milton succeed, especially in what could be his last game as a Bulldog. Milton has to decide by Jan. 15 if he is going to return to Athens or not.
"Kendall has meant a lot to this program," said Smart. "He's given so much. He's been through a lot. He said that. I still remember going all the way to California, being in his house, seeing him and his parents, and he's sacrificed a ton to make this program a better place, and he's worked his tail off. So, I thank you Kendall publicly for what you've done here."
