ATHENS, Ga. – Junior cornerback Brandon Boykin entered Saturday’s game needing 22 yards to become Georgia’s all-time leader in kickoff returns.
He still needs them.
Idaho State opened the game by kicking short to fullback Shaun Chapas at the Georgia 23-yard line, and Chapas returned the ball 12 yards to the 35. By the time the Bengals kicked off again, the Bulldogs had a 55-7 lead with 8:51 remaining, and Boykin had long exited with the rest of the starters.
“I kind of expected it,” Boykin said of the opening kick. “If they had kicked it to me, it would have been great. As a defense, we didn’t expect to get but one.”
Boykin, the only player in Southeastern Conference history with three 100-yard kickoff returns in a career, will head to Auburn this week with 1,616 yards. Gene Washington amassed 1,637 for the Bulldogs from 1973 to ’76.