JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Georgia senior tailback Sony Michel made sure he didn't go 0-for-4 against his home-state team.
Michel rushed just six times Saturday afternoon against Florida but made the most of his carries, amassing 137 yards and two touchdowns in the 42-7 thumping of the Gators. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior from Plantation entered his last go-around against the Gators having not accomplished much, gaining just 2 yards in last year's 24-10 loss and fracturing his hand early in a 27-3 setback two years ago.
"I'm just excited for what this team has to offer and where we're headed," a beaming Michel said afterward. "This was very satisfying. This game means a lot to the fans and to us."
Michel had a 74-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter that extended Georgia's lead to 21-0, and he added a 45-yard score midway through the third quarter to make it 28-0. That run also gave him more than 3,000 yards in his career.
"I think it will mean more to me when I'm gone, because I will look back at stuff like that," said Michel, whose career total is 3,040. "Right now, the only thing I can do is, 'How can I build from that?' Hopefully, I can sit back and think about having 3,000 yards, but I've got to think about what's ahead of me."
Georgia is the first team in Southeastern Conference history to have a 4,000-yard rusher and a 3,000-yard rusher on the same roster. Fellow senior Nick Chubb surpassed 4,000 yards earlier this month at Vanderbilt.
Chubb rushed for 77 yards Saturday and now has 4,189 in his career, passing former Florida running back Errict Rhett (4,163) and moving into fifth all-time in the SEC.
"That is tough to do, especially in the SEC, because the SEC is a nonrushing league," Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. "It is hard to run the ball in the SEC, so for those two young men to do that speaks volumes to them and their careers, the previous staff here and our staff. Those guys have worked hard to get that.
"It doesn't come easy."
Another for Sanders
Dominick Sanders intercepted a tipped Feleipe Franks pass less than five minutes into the game and returned the ball 13 yards to Florida's 29-yard line. The turnover set up a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm to Javon Wims that put the Bulldogs up 14-0.
The interception was the 15th for Sanders in his career, pulling him within one of the school mark set by Jake Scott (1967-68) and matched by Bacarri Rambo (2009-12).
"To be honest, I don't even think about it," Sanders said. "I have so many people who worry about it and call my phone and ask me questions like, 'Do you think you'll get one?' That doesn't need to be on my mind. I don't think about catching interceptions or pray about it or nothing like that.
"I have a mindset of coming out and executing a plan."
Sanders made his team-leading 46th career start.
Fromm ends streak
Fromm became the first Georgia quarterback to defeat Florida in his first try since Greg Talley in 1989.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman attempted just four passes in the first half, completing a 39-yarder to D'Andre Swift on Georgia's opening possession to set up Chubb's 6-yard touchdown run and the 17-yard touchdown to Wims to cap the second drive. He finished 4-of-7 for 101 yards and was intercepted early in the third quarter.
Jacob Eason, the starter in last season's loss to the Gators, entered the game with less than 12 minutes remaining and the score 35-0.
Odds and ends
Georgia is 8-0 for the eighth time in school history and the first time since 2002, when Florida handed the Bulldogs a 20-13 setback. The Bulldogs are now 31-for-31 this season in the red zone. Senior outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter had a career-high nine tackles and a sack. Senior inside linebacker Reggie Carter made his first start of the season and 10th of his career, playing for the first time since the 41-0 win at Tennessee on Sept. 30.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.