Roderick Robinson scores in Georgia debut: Former Lincoln (California) running back impresses in first college football game
If his first college football game was any indication of what's to come, it could be a memorable 2023 season and beyond for Roderick Robinson.
The SBLive 2022 California high school football Player of the Year wasted little time introducing himself to college football fans, as he played a key role in the 2023 season opener for the back-to-back national champions.
Robinson was the second-leading rusher for the Georgia Bulldogs in a 48-7 win over UT Martin on Saturday. The former Lincoln (California) standout finished with 50 yards and one touchdown on eight carries, as Georgia passed the first test in its quest for a three-peat.
Georgia was led on the ground by another California native in Kendall Milton, a 2020 graduate of Buchanan, who edged out Robinson with 53 yards on nine carries.
Robinson's longest run of the night came early in the second quarter, when he broke free for a 23-yard gain. In the third quarter, he took a handoff two yards through the middle of the UT Martin defense for his first collegiate touchdown.
As a senior at Lincoln in 2022, Robinson led Lincoln to its first-ever state championship, carrying the ball 217 times for 2,378 yards and 37 touchdowns. He tied a San Diego Section record early in the season with an eight-touchdown performance (32 rushes for 476 yards) in a win over eventual Division 2-AA state champion Mater Dei Catholic.
The former four-star recruit was the nation's No. 14 running back and No. 192 overall recruit in the class of 2023, per the 247sports composite rankings.
Once a UCLA commit, Robinson flipped his pledge to Georgia last October.
(Feature photo by Steven Silva)
