Dedrick Mills has big freshman finish in leading Georgia Tech to win in TaxSlayer Bowl

Dedrick Mills got a shoutout, some head nods and several high-fives as he walked toward the interview room at EverBank Field.

And those came from opposing players.

The freshman was an even bigger hit inside Georgia Tech’s locker room and in the stands.

Mills ran for a career-high 169 yards and a touchdown, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 33-18 victory against Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Saturday. It was the seventh-most rushing yards in bowl history, earning Mills the Most Valuable Player trophy and making some forget about his two suspensions this season.

“I think he can be a very special player,” Coach Paul Johnson said. “He’s a very talented young man. We’ve got to try to help him grow up. Sometimes, you know, at that age, when you’re 18, we all didn’t make great decisions. It’s our job to help him make the right decisions because he’s got a bright future if he’ll continue to work hard.”

Playing without running back Marcus Marshall, who decided to transfer after the regular-season finale, Georgia Tech (9-4) turned to Mills to handle the workload against Kentucky (7-6). The newcomer from nearby Waycross, Georgia, delivered. With dozens of friends and family members in attendance, he carried a career-high 31 times as the Yellow Jackets won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in more than a decade.

“It wasn’t that tough. It wasn’t that tough,” Mills said. “Behind the offensive line, running off their blocks, made it easier for me to find holes and get through them.”

He got plenty of help, too, as Tech won its fourth consecutive game.

Senior P.J. Davis returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown. Fellow linebacker Terrell Lewis blocked a punt late in the first half that set up one of Harrison Butker’s four field goals. Thomas added a 21-yard TD run in his final collegiate game.

“It’s a great feeling,” Thomas said. “Everything has to come to an end one day. Happy it ended like this. Looking forward to see what the future holds.”