Georgia football countdown to kickoff: 49 days to go

The 2018 Georgia football season begins in 49 days.

When it comes to great Georgia football touchdowns, Herschel Walker has many of them. In his three years in Athens, Walker scored 49 rushing touchdowns. He reached the end zone in a myriad of ways. Long runs and leaps over the line of scrimmage. Down the sidelines and up the middle. Handoffs and toss sweeps.

If Walker had the ball in his hands, there was a good chance he was going to score. In fact, with 994 career carries, Walker averaged a touchdown every 20.3 attempts. Considering he often carried the ball for more than 30 times a game, Walker scored around three touchdowns every two games.

Some touchdowns stand out more than others though. For their importance or how entertaining they were. So, in honor of there only being 49 days left until Georgia football opens the 2018 season. And for Walker’s 49 rushing touchdowns. Here’s Herschel Walker’s greatest touchdowns collection from his 1980 freshman season. Come back to Dawn of the Dawg tomorrow for the best of Walker’s sophomore and junior seasons.

Off the bench to beat Tennessee

Walker started most of the games he played in. But not all of them. Oddly, his most memorable game might be one he didn’t start. As a true freshman in 1980, Walker stood on the sidelines in Knoxville for the season opener.

That was until Georgia fell behind 15-2 in the third quarter. Coach Vince Dooley called on Walker and he put the team on his back for a long touchdown drive. He ended that drive with one of the most iconic touchdown runs in college football history.

Walker ran through a large hole at the line of scrimmage, ran over one Tennessee defender at the nine yard line, then ran through two more players inside the five-yard line to score. That cut the margin down to 15-9, but Walker was far from finished.

After showing off his power on the first score, Walker showed off his agility on the other. Belue pitched the ball to Walker who avoided tacklers on his way to the end zone. Both Touchdowns totaled around 30 yards. More importantly, they totaled the 14 points Georgia needed to beat Tennessee 16-15.

Can’t even be knocked out of the air against Ole Miss

A few weeks later against Ole Miss, Walker scored one of decisive touchdowns in a 28-21 victory. In the red zone, but facing a short yardage situation, Dooley called for Walker to dive over the linemen like we would on the goal line.

Walker did what was asked, and he dove far enough for a first down. But when he hit a player in the air, he landed on his feet. With the Rebel’s entire defense at the line, Walker jogged into the end zone for one of the quirkiest scores of his career.

Slashing Vandy for three long runs

Against Vanderbilt, Walker set his career high and a Georgia school record with 283 rushing yards. In that game, Walker had three long touchdown runs of 60, 53 and 48 yards. The 60 harder was the most spectacular with Walker running over two men within six yards of each other. And then broke another tackle to put the entire defense behind him.

Going to to war with George Rogers

On November 1, 1980, South Carolina came to town with Heisman front runner George Rogers. The Gamecock defense kept Georgia out of the end zone for much of the game. But in the third quarter, Walker showed off his blazing speed with a 75-yard run down the right sideline to score. Two players seemed to have an angle to knock him out of bounds. But Walker found a second burst of speed and out ran everyone.

TD puts Georgia ahead of Florida early

Belue-to-Scott gets all of the attention in the 1980 Georgia/Florida Game. But many forget that Walker scored on a 76-yard run early the day to give the dawgs an early 7-0 lead.

Next: Georgia, Auburn, and the football Mecca of Atlanta

Breaks freshman rushing record on long run

Against Georgia Tech, Walker broke the NCAA record for rushing yards by a freshman. He did so in outstanding fashion with a 65-yard run down the middle of the field to the end zone. What better way to break the record?

Pair of touchdowns in Sugar Bowl

Following botched kickoff reception by Notre Dame, Walker dove into the end zone to give no. 1 Georgia a 10-3 lead in the Sugar Bowl. Walker scored once more to extend the lead to 17-3, effectively putting the game out of reach and sealing Georgia’s National Championship.