Gurley's return to Bulldogs halted by torn ACL

photo Georgia junior tailback Todd Gurley rushed 29 times for 138 yards in Saturday night's win over Auburn but was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

Georgia junior tailback Todd Gurley returned from a four-game NCAA suspension Saturday night and rushed 29 times for 138 yards as the Bulldogs notched their most impressive victory of the season, downing Auburn 34-7.

Then his college football career came to a close.

Gurley's adventurous autumn abruptly ended when the 6-foot-1, 232-pounder from Tarboro, N.C., tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the fourth quarter. The university confirmed the injury Sunday afternoon after an MRI had been performed, leaving Gurley with 911 rushing yards in only six games (151.8 per game) this season.

"He's been fantastic," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said Sunday night, "and he's without a doubt one of the best running backs I've ever seen and ever coached. He practiced hard and played hard, and he loved the big games. He played his heart out for Georgia, and I'm just really proud that I've had the opportunity to coach him."

In his first post on Twitter since before the start of the season, Gurley said, "No Pain, No Gain," moments before the university announced the injury. Former Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray, who tore his ACL last November, offered his support on Twitter.

photo Georgia running back Nick Chubb runs for a touchdown at Kentucky on Nov. 8. Georgia beat Kentucky 63-31.

Gurley is expected to forego his final year of eligibility and recently was rated by NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper as the No. 8 overall prospect for 2015. He amassed 3,285 yards (109.5 per game) in his 30-game Bulldogs career, rushing for 1,385 yards as a freshman, when the Bulldogs went 12-2 and dropped a memorable 32-28 decision to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game. He had 989 yards last season when a high-ankle sprain sidelined him for three games.

A fast start this season had Gurley atop the Heisman Trophy race, but he was suspended by the university on Oct. 9 and later by the NCAA after it was discovered he received more than $3,000 for signing memorabilia.

Georgia went 3-1 in Gurley's absence behind freshman tailback Nick Chubb, who had 19 carries for 144 yards against Auburn and has 1,039 yards this season. The 5-foot-10, 228-pounder from Cedartown has 819 yards in the past five games.

Gurley was injured with 5:21 remaining Saturday and with the Bulldogs leading 27-7. Richt said he had not discussed taking him out of the game with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

"Not that drive," Richt said. "A year ago we're down 20 in the fourth (at Auburn) and came back, and they've got an explosive offense. We were trying to seal the deal."

ESPN recently reported that the university funded a $2.5 million insurance policy for Gurley in case his draft status took a substantial hit as the result of injury. Gurley ranks second on Georgia's career rushing charts, trailing only legendary Herschel Walker.

Gurley's injury certainly swiped the spotlight from Georgia's seventh win over Auburn in nine years. The Tigers scored on their opening possession but fumbled a punt late in the first quarter that enabled the Bulldogs to pull even, and it only got worse for Auburn from there.

Auburn rushed 35 times for 150 yards and 30 times for 105 yards after its first drive.

"They whipped us up front, which was a big factor," Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said Saturday night on the Auburn Radio Network, "and we didn't have our perimeter yards, and that was a little different. We had a couple of situations in the third quarter when we threw the football and had some drops, and that was a big factor, too.

"If we catch those balls, then we get into our pace and we're able to pace run. Tonight, there were not a whole lot of pace-run opportunities."

Odds and ends

Georgia moved up to ninth in the latest Associated Press poll and to No. 10 in the USA Today coaches poll. ... Richt on Sunday's announcement that Florida coach Will Muschamp will be out at season's end: "It's just the nature of the business, and I wish him well. I know he's a good ball coach and a really good person."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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