Former Penn State and current Philadelphia Eagles RB Miles Sanders is going to the Super Bowl.
Sanders ran for two touchdowns in Philly’s 31-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.
He opened the scoring on the game’s first possession, running in for an easy 6-yard touchdown.
Easy running for @BoobieMilesXXIV 🙌
📺: #SFvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/FKUP5TdmfQ pic.twitter.com/Kooj1JrZDo— NFL (@NFL) January 29, 2023
Late in the second quarter, Sanders struck again, going up left end for a 13-yard score to put Philly back ahead, breaking a 7-7 tie.
.@BoobieMilesXXIV has another and the @Eagles lead 14-7. #NFLPlayoffs
📺: #SFvsPHI on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/FKUP5TcOqi pic.twitter.com/UCy4UnTcjI— NFL (@NFL) January 29, 2023
Sanders finished the day with 42 yards on 11 carries. The ex-Penn Stater has played a big part for the Eagles all year. Sanders ended the regular season fifth in the NFL in rushing— one spot behind former Penn State teammate Saquon Barkley— and averaged almost 5 yards per carry.
He also ran for career-high 11 touchdowns, which was two behind quarterback Jalen Hurts for the team lead. Philadelphia went 14-3 in the regular-season and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed. After a bye week, the Eagles rolled over the NFC East rival New York Giants 38-7. Sanders didn’t score a touchdown, but ran for 90 yards on 17 carries.
Sanders didn’t put up the career numbers that Barkley did at Penn State but this was largely because he was behind the man himself on the depth chart. Sanders made the most of his relatively brief time as Penn State’s RB1. He ended the 2018 season with 1,274 yards, nine touchdowns and a 5.8 yards per carry average.
From there, Sanders went to the Eagles in the second round of the 2019 draft.
Philly’s win also means that two Penn Staters won’t be playing in the Super Bowl. San Francisco’s ageless kicker, 40-year-old Robbie Gould, will keep searching for his first ring after 18 seasons.
San Fran defensive tackle Kevin Givens is still waiting for that championship as well.
The Philadelphia Eagles will play the winner of tonight’s AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and Bengals in Kansas City. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30.
