Georgia running back Dwight Phillips Jr. (20) evades a tackle during the second half of a football game against Vanderbilt at Sanford Stadium, in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Georgia won 38-14. (Photo/Jesse Corso, @jesse._png)
Georgia running back Dwight Phillips Jr. (20) evades a tackle during the second half of a football game against Vanderbilt at Sanford Stadium, in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Georgia won 38-14. (Photo/Jesse Corso, @jesse._png)
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No. 2 Georgia continued its electric season on offense in its 38-14 Week 5 win over Vanderbilt.
It did so despite missing multiple key pieces: Wide receiver Isiah Canion did not play and star running back Nate Frazier was limited to just two carries. The injury bug continued to hit throughout the game, as Thomas Blackshear, who led the team in targets in the first half, and Chauncey Bowens, who held the team-lead in rushing yards at halftime, were both banged up as well.
Still, Georgia controlled the clock on offense in the second half while putting up an additional 17 points, and junior running back Dwight Phillips Jr. was a major reason why.
After serving as a mere complement to Bowens early, Phillips finished the day with 102 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, contributing in both the rushing and passing game.
“It felt good just coming through for my brothers,” Phillips said. “Whatever I got to do to help my team I’m willing to do it, whether that’s getting one touch or five.”
Phillips’ first big play of the day came late in the second half when the speedy back caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and rushed for what appeared to be a 31-yard touchdown down the sideline.
The ultimate ruling was that he was out of bounds just shy of the goal line, but he would not pass up another opportunity to score later.
In the fourth quarter, Phillips caught another short pass, made a defender miss with a shifty move and crossed the goal line for a 12-yard receiving touchdown.
“Dwight’s awesome,” head coach Kirby Smart said of his junior speedster. “He’s a great kid to be around, he’s trying to find ways to get touches and he capitalized on a lot of his moments.”
Against the Commodores, most of those touches came on short passes as opposed to traditional rushes. These conservative play calls from offensive coordinator Mike Bobo were particularly effective in the second half as Georgia dominated possession time.
Phillips was Georgia’s most targeted player through the air with five looks from quarterback Gunner Stockton, and he took those catches for a team-leading 75 yards. What’s more impressive, though, is that most of his grabs were behind the line of scrimmage, meaning he actually totaled 85 yards after the catch.
He carried the ball five times as a rusher as well for 27 yards, and his 5.4 yards per carry trumped Bowens’ average, lagging behind only one other running back, Bo Walker, who was aided by his 59-yard burst on the game’s final possession.
For Stockton, having a running back with Phillips’ skill set is a major factor in keeping the offense on schedule.
“He’s one of the best teammates we got,” Stockton said of Phillips. “Just seeing what he does with the ball, he’s one of the fastest guys on the field. So anytime he’s got space it’s always pretty good.”
Phillips has spent most of his three-year collegiate career as a depth option for Georgia, never having more than six touches in an SEC game. In the wake of Frazier’s injury, Phillips’ snap share has increased, and he’s done everything in his power to prove why he deserves the ball in his hands.
Last week against Oklahoma, Phillips took eight carries for a career-high 84 yards which included a 54-yard score. This week, he had another dominant performance, but seemed more invested in helping his team succeed than reaching any personal benchmarks.
“The only goal I really have is just helping my team win,” Phillips said. “I don’t really believe in self goals.”
That team-oriented approach from not only Phillips, but a number of Bulldogs, is likely a major factor as to why the team enters next week’s difficult road clash with Alabama at 5-0. While Frazier is likely to return in a more significant capacity against the Crimson Tide, the flashes Phillips has shown in the last few weeks will make it difficult for Smart and Bobo to keep him off the field.
But Phillips will probably be unbothered with how often he gets the ball moving forward. He just wants to win.
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