Georgia football: D’Andre Swift’s greatest plays as a Bulldog

5. Two highlight-reel runs on the Wildcats

The 2018 meeting between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Kentucky Wildcats was billed as the biggest in the series history, and for good reason. Both teams entered the game with 7-1 records overall. Georgia football was No. 6 in the nation and Kentucky was No. 9. Most importantly, for the first time as members of the SEC East, they were playing with the divisional championship on the line.

So, how did Georgia’s star running back do that day? He rushed for 156 yards on 16 carries with two dazzling touchdown runs special in their own rights. Swift led Georgia to a 34-17 win and the Bulldogs clinched the SEC East Championship.

The first touchdown was cruel. Swift embarrassed a great Kentucky defense on a second-and-17 handoff from the 20-yard-line. For a brief moment, it looked like a Kentucky defender had Swift stopped for a short gain. The safety recognized the play was a handoff going to the right and he made a beeline towards Swift. There’s one thing the safety, the Kentucky defense and the entire viewing audience didn’t see coming; the juke.

Swift planted his right foot in the turf and bounced off in a different direction. The safety, who had performed the play perfectly to this point, was now rolling on the ground. He became a spectator like the rest of us.

The play wasn’t over however, Kentucky had Swift corralled between the hash marks. Three defenders had him contained for a six or seven-yard run, but Swift had another juke to dish out and another Kentucky defender fell to the ground. The Wildcats could have still stopped him. Swift had a first down, now two more defenders have him wrapped him up at the marker. However, Swift isn’t just swift, he also has some power and he used it at the three-yard line to break the tackles and score the touchdown. Georgia led 14-3 with 2:28 left before halftime.

Swift’s last touchdown run is a lot quicker to explain, but it’s no less special. With Georgia ahead 21-3 with 8:10 left in the third quarter, the Bulldogs lined up at their own 17-yard-line. Swift grabbed a straight handoff, stopped for a split second to let a hole open up and then fired through the hole without a defender in front of him. He ran 83 yards with five Kentucky defenders chasing him.