ATHENS, Ga. - It was a fitting Sanford Stadium finale for Georgia's decorated duo of running backs, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.
The two seniors, who elected last December to return for a last go-around, repeatedly punished Kentucky on Saturday in a 42-13 cakewalk for the Bulldogs. Chubb rushed 15 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while Michel added 87 yards and three scores on 12 carries.
"This was great," Chubb said. "We can always look back on this moment. It was our last game at Sanford Stadium, and we'll be able to talk about how we had good games and how the offensive line and receivers blocked well.
"It was an overall team effort."
Chubb now has 1,045 yards for the season, matching Herschel Walker as the only Georgia tailbacks to assemble three 1,000-yard seasons. Walker needed only three seasons to achieve his, but Chubb was well on his way to a 1,000-yard season in 2015 - he had 745 yards in his first five games - before tearing multiple knee ligaments on his first carry at Tennessee.
With his two touchdowns Saturday, Chubb has 45 career scores and is within reach of the 52 Walker compiled from 1980 to 1982.
"I appreciate what he's done in an era where rushing the ball is really hard," Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. "It's gotten harder and harder. I have no statistics to prove that, but Herschel and South Carolina's George Rogers ran in an era when a lot of people were rushing the ball for yards. It's hard now in the SEC, and I'm not diminishing what Herschel did, but Nick Chubb rushing for three 1,000-yard seasons in the SEC, which is the toughest conference in the country right now, is pretty remarkable.
"He's done it alongside another back who may be just as talented as he is. What would Nick have done with 30 or 40 carries a game? Who knows? I'm sure his body appreciates it."
Chubb improved his career rushing total to 4,469 yards. With another 122 he will pass both former LSU running back Kevin Faulk (4,557) and former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (4,590) and move into second on the Soutjeastern Conference's all-time rushing chart behind Walker (5,259).
Michel has 818 yards entering this week's regular-season finale at Georgia Tech, so he is within grasp of his second 1,000-yard season in three years.
"We wanted to leave a legacy behind and to come back and build a foundation here," Michel said. "I felt like we had so much more to give to the program. I'm closer to getting my degree. There are so many boxes to check, and it wasn't the wrong decision.
"It was great to come out here and run the ball and have success and get the win on senior day."
Neither Chubb nor Michel was tackled for a loss all game.
Before Saturday's kickoff they were honored along with 29 other Bulldogs seniors. Chubb admitted to getting a little emotional during the ceremony, but that wasn't the case with Michel.
"There will be more times for emotions," Michel said. "We have banquets. This wasn't the proper time."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.