A 300-yard rushing game by Georgia a generation ago meant Herschel Walker had things going.

This season, a 300-yard rushing game by the Bulldogs meant Tennessee Tech was in town. Georgia entered last Saturday ranked last in the Southeastern Conference with 109.6 rushing yards a game before amassing 304 against the Golden Eagles.

The Bulldogs moved up to 11th in the league (ahead of South Carolina) with a 131.2-yard average entering this week's game against visiting Auburn. They failed to reach 100 rushing yards in four of their first six games before compiling 173 at Vanderbilt and 121 against Florida.

"We had to kind of reinvent our offensive line a little bit," coach Mark Richt said. "When we had a couple of guys go down very early, it just changed the dynamic of that front. Part of it was just trying to get the right combination there, and part of it was these backs maturing a little bit. I just think it's all starting to come together."

Sophomore Richard Samuel remains Georgia's leading rusher with 395 yards, followed by freshman Washaun Ealey (281) and sophomore Caleb King (225). Ealey has the hottest hand of the bunch, rushing for 89 yards against the Golden Eagles after having 70 against Florida and 71 against Vanderbilt.

Ealey sat out the first four games, when a redshirt season seemed more likely for the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder.

"I think he's matured very quickly as a runner, and he's still getting there as a pass-protector, but he's made some positive strides in that area, too," Richt said. "He's getting a lot of opportunities, so you can tell we believe that he can help us win, and he has. I'm sure he's gaining some confidence as he goes, and we'll keep banging away at that pass protection, and he'll become a guy we don't worry about one bit."

Robinson honored

Bulldogs freshman defensive end Montez Robinson was named Monday the SEC's defensive lineman of the week after tallying five tackles and 2.5 for loss against the Golden Eagles. The 6-5, 250-pounder from Avon, Ind., entered Saturday's game without any tackles and has battled some homesickness.

"Freshmen do hit the wall sometimes," Richt said. "The academics are so different and their schedule is so different. You've got football and the competition level and being away from home. All those things creep up on them, and somewhere along the way they have a rough go. I think he's doing very well right now."

Odds and ends

It was announced Monday that Georgia's Nov. 21 home game against Kentucky will kick off at 7:45 on ESPN or ESPN2. That will be the fourth night game at Sanford Stadium this season, the most since World War II. ... Auburn will be playing its eighth night game Saturday, a regular-season record for the Tigers. ... Of Tennessee Tech's 55 total yards against the Bulldogs, sophomore receiver and former Red Bank standout Tim Benford had 41. ... Bulldogs sophomore kicker Blair Walsh, who is 13-of-14 this season on field-goal attempts, is among the 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award.