ATHENS — Kendall Milton is breaking loose in the Georgia football backfield, and just in time.

Milton, when last seen, was dancing in the background in Kenny McIntosh’s Instagram locker room celebration video after a 50-30 win over LSU.

An hour earlier Milton was dancing over, around and through the Tigers’ defense en route to his first career 100-yard performance, carrying the ball 8 times for 113 yards.

It was a healthy sight, quite literally, as it provides No. 1-ranked Georgia with exactly the right boost it could use with No. 4 Ohio State on deck in the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31.

“I thought (LSU game) was the first time he really had his pad level and was running through contact,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s made some big runs, but (Saturday) his pads were lower, he ran over people, kept his legs churning. He had the explosive ones.”

Adding Milton to the mix with Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards provides another potential power up or hot hand to feed in a UGA game plan that will most certainly feature the run game agains the Buckeyes.

Georgia has been referred to as “a better version of Michigan,” in terms of the physicality and and team personality.

The Wolverines have relied on their run game to get past Ohio State and its explosive offense the last two rivalry meetings, out-rushing the Buckeyes 252-143 in a 45-23 win this season and 297-64 in a 42-27 win in 2021.

The Bulldogs will be relying on their run game, as well, with Smart looking to create explosive plays on the ground.

Milton has yet to have more than 12 carries in any game in his career — he set his personal mark against Arkansas in 2021.

But he has had the two longest runs of his career in the past two games: a 44-yarder against Georgia Tech and a 51-yard burst against LSU.

The head coach is noticing.

“He’s really fast when he’s broken out of there,” Smart said. “It’ll almost like he’s gaining steam at the end of the year as he’s running the ball.”

Milton is one of several Georgia players that other schools have expressed interest in, but to this point, none of the current Bulldogs’ players have been listed in the NCAA transfer portal.

The 45-day window for players to enter the portal and have communication with other schools started on Monday.