STARKVILLE — The numbers are staggering.
Year after year, game after game, the Georgia Tech football team’s triple option puts up eye-popping statistics. It has been the driving force behind the Yellow Jackets’ surge under coach Paul Johnson that has the team’s in its second Orange Bowl in the past four years.
This year, that running game has been better than ever.
With a multi-faceted attack that features eight players with more than 200 yards, the Yellow Jackets finished No. 2 in the country in rushing yards, and topped the 300-yard mark as a team in eight of 13 games. No. 8 Mississippi State (10-2) will have to contend with that ground assault at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, when it takes on Georgia Tech (10-3).
“It’s unique,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said of Georgia Tech’s offense. “They really put pressure on you, and you have to be disciplined against what is one of the best running games in the country.”
MSU’s ground game isn’t half bad, either.
Behind tailback Josh Robinson, the Southeastern Conference’s third-leading rusher with 1,128 yards, MSU finished behind Georgia and Auburn in the SEC with 2,838 yards (239.8 per game).
With Robinson and Ashton Shumpert, a sophomore who led the Bulldogs in rushing against Vanderbilt and Ole Miss, the Bulldogs have a tailback tandem to match Georgia Tech’s squadron of backs.
Mode of attack
The Yellow Jackets come at opponents in waves, often with prolific results. With sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas calling the shots, Georgia Tech has an array of possibilities on each play. Twelve Yellow Jackets have rushed for at least 100 yards this season. Running backs Zach Laskey and Synjyn Days have been the most dependable. Laskey has 161 rushes for 788 yards and nine touchdowns, while Days has 136 carries for 753 yards.
A 6-foot-1, 218-pound fullback by trade, Laskey rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-24 win against archrival Georgia in the regular-season finale.
Running backs Charles Perkins and Tony Zenon have combined for 612 yards for the Yellow Jackets, who rushed for at least 200 yards in all 13 games. The Jackets were most successful in wins at Pittsburgh and North Carolina State. Against the Panthers, the Yellow Jackets ran the ball 64 times for 465 yards and seven touchdowns. Against the Wolfpack, the Yellow Jackets rushed 64 times for 479 yards and five scores.
MSU’s approach for most of the season has been the opposite of Georgia Tech’s multi-faceted attack. Instead of relying on a stable of backs, MSU has given the bulk of the work to Robinson, a 5-9, 215-pound bowling ball. Robinson became the fourth MSU running back in six seasons under Mullen to be named to The Associated Press All-SEC team.
The junior from Franklinton, Louisiana, topped the 100-yard mark five times and flirted with 200 twice, running for 197 and 198 yards, respectively, in wins at LSU and at Kentucky.
Late in the season, Shumpert, a 6-1, 210-pound bruiser from Fulton, became more involved. It started with a four-carry, 82-yard performance in a blowout win against Tennessee-Martin and picked up steam when he rushed 14 times for 57 yards in a 51-0 win at Vanderbilt.
In the regular-season finale at Ole Miss, Shumpert was the go-to back for quarterback Dak Prescott, earning 10 carries for 68 yards.
Robinson saw his usage decrease in that period. After averaging 17 rushes per game in the first eight weeks, Robinson averaged just nine in the past four games. He had 12 carries for 37 yards at Alabama and 12 for 44 yards at Ole Miss. Robinson hasn’t topped the 100-yard mark since the 198-yard explosion at Kentucky.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @ctsportseditor
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