The Georgia Bulldogs have had a lot of great running back talent come through the program during the first 10 seasons of the Kirby Smart era. Georgia’s physical running attack is a big reason why the Bulldogs have won four SEC championships and two national championships since Smart took the head coaching job ahead of the 2016 college football season.
Running the ball remains a key philosophy for Kirby Smart’s brand of football, but over the years he’s changed to a more balanced approach. Smart and Georgia have had seven running backs selected in the NFL draft over the past decade (through the 2025 NFL draft).
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Over the years, Smart has preferred to have running back by committee approach. The Bulldogs have not had a running back take over 200 carries since Nick Chubb in 2017. Additionally, Georgia hasn’t had a 1,000 yard rusher since D’Andre Swift in 2018.
Georgia star running back Nate Frazier came close to both numbers in 2025, but early season fumble issues hurt Frazier in his quest for 1,000 rushing yards. He excelled down the stretch and put together an elite season.
2025: Nate Frazier
Georgia Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier (3) runs against the Alabama Crimson Tide
Frazier formed a dynamic duo with Chauncey Bowens in the UGA backfield. The Bulldogs won the SEC championship and notably improved their rushing attack after a down year in 2024.
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Georgia leaned more on Bowens early in the year while Frazier dealt with some fumble problems, but Bowens got banged up and Frazier took the majority of the carries. Quarterback Gunner Stockton also provided a strong compliment (462 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) to the running game.
Stats: 173 carries for 947 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns
2024: Nate Frazier
ATHENS, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 23: Nate Frazier #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Sanford Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Frazier teamed up with Florida transfer Trevor Etienne to form a dynamic duo in 2024. Frazier ended the eight overtime Georgia Tech game with a walk-off two-point conversion and Etienne won the SEC championship with a walk-off touchdown in two of Georgia’s most memorable recent games.
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Stats: 133 rush attempts for 671 yards and eight touchdowns
2023: Daijun Edwards
Former Georgia Bulldogs running back Daijun Edwards (30) rushes the ball against the Florida State Seminoles
Daijun Edwards helped Georgia’s potent 2023 offense, led by quarterback Carson Beck, go undefeated in the regular season. The Bulldogs lost to Alabama in the SEC championship, but crushed Florida State in the Orange Bowl to cap off a 13-1 season.
Stats: 165 rush attempts for 880 yards and 13 touchdowns
2022: Kenny McIntosh
Georgia Bulldogs running back Kenny McIntosh (6) carries the ball and scores a touchdown against the LSU Tigers
McIntosh was a key factor in Georgia’s 2022 national title run. He contributed both as a rusher and as a receiver along with Daijun Edwards.
Stats: 150 rush attempts for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns
2021: Zamir White
Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White (3) carries the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide
White helped UGA win the 2021 national title and was the last Georgia running back to lead the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons before Nate Frazier accomplished that in 2025. Interestingly, James Cook never led the team in rushing even though he is one of the NFL’s best running backs.
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Stats: 160 rush attempts for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns
2020: Zamir White
White had a strong season for Georgia in 2020 especially when considering that Georgia only played SEC competition during the regular season. The Bulldogs played in just 10 games during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.
Stats: 144 rush attempts for 779 yards and 11 touchdowns
2019: D’Andre Swift
Georgia Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift (7) runs for a first down during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies
Swift’s memorable 2019 season is the last time a Georgia Bulldog ran for over 1,000 yards in a season. In 2019, he memorably ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns in a rainy 21-0 win over the Kentucky Wildcats.
Stats: 196 rush attempts for 1,218 yards and seven touchdowns
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2018: D’Andre Swift
Swift proved ready for a larger workload in 2018. He helped Georgia make the SEC championship and fooled numerous defenders with his legendary juke move. Both Swift and Elijah Holyfield topped 1,000 yards in 2018. No UGA running back duo has accomplished that feat since then.
Stats: 163 rush attempts for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns
2017: Nick Chubb
Georgia Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb (27) runs the ball against the Auburn Tigers during the SEC Championship
Nick Chubb was the bell cow back of Georgia’s 2017 team. The Bulldogs advanced to the national title game and won the SEC thanks in large part to UGA’s elite backfield that also featured Sony Michel and D’Andre Swift.
Stats: 223 rush attempts for 1,345 yards and 15 touchdowns
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2016: Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb led Georgia in rushing during three of his four seasons at UGA. His injury-shortened 2015 season is the only time he did not lead the Dawgs in rushing even though he was part of some amazing backfields with players like Sony Michel and Todd Gurley.
Stats: 224 rush attempts for 1,130 yards and eight touchdowns
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Annual Georgia Bulldogs leading rushers during the Kirby Smart era
