JACKSON, Tenn. -- With multiple quarterbacks limited or out on Saturday, Miles was forced to press freshman Octavious Griffin into action on Saturday afternoon in a must-win contest against Lane.

Griffin did his job, which was mostly to hand the ball to a talented set of running backs in Kingston Davis and Donte Edwards. The duo combined to rush for 334 yards and three touchdowns as the Golden Bears (3-4, 2-2 SIAC West) ended a two-game winless streak with a 34-31 win over the Dragons (4-3, 1-2) at Lane Field. The victory keeps Miles in position to win a third straight SIAC title by winning its remaining games.

For Davis, Saturday was a bit of a homecoming. He is a graduate of Lane but came to Miles with a season of eligibility remaining. He proceeded to torch his former teammates for a career-high 170 yards on 22 carries. His 56-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, where he bounced outside and broke free on his jaunt to the end zone, gave Miles a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

But midway in the second quarter, Lane had used a safety and two touchdowns - the last a 60-yard catch and run by Anthony Evelyn - had given the Dragons a 15-7 advantage. Miles was having trouble running the ball as Lane began to stack the box, begging the Golden Bears to throw the ball.

Griffin was happy to oblige.

After the Evelyn score, on Miles' first play from scrimmage, Griffin hit a streaking Christopher Brown in stride up the far sideline for a 56-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to 15-14.. It was Brown's second straight game with a touchdown reception and the first scoring pass in Griffin's career.

The big pass seemed to open the running lanes for the Golden Bears and Donte Edwards took advantage on the team's next drive. After a big 34-yard run got Miles to the 5-yard line, the junior tailback punched it in on the next play to give Miles a lead it would not relinquish with 4:30 left in the second quarter. Right before the half, Jackson Spradlin nailed a career-long 50-yard field goal into a swirling, gusting wind that sent the team into the break with a 24-15 lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, Davis broke off runs of 14 and 21 yards before getting into the end zone for a second time on a 3-yard run that increased Miles' advantage to 31-15. Spradin would add a second field goal but another big touchdown catch by Evelyn - this one from 65 yards - brought the Dragons to within three points with 5:13 remaining.

But Miles would not let Lane get the ball again. Davis gained 30 yards on four carries and picked up two first downs, which forced Lane to use its second timeout. Then Edwards picked up 20 yards over his final three carries to get the final first down to seal the deal. He finished the game with a career-high 164 yards rushing on 26 carries to give Miles two 100-yard backs for the first time since Edwards and De'Rell Freeman both went over 100 yards against Fort Valley State in September 2019. Before that, the feat had not been accomplished since Jamarcus Nance and David Whipple did it against Lane in 2015.

Saturday was the first time Miles had rushed for more than 300 yards since 316 against Kentucky State in 2017. It was also the most yards on the ground since the Golden Bears gained 375 yards against Stillman in November 2014.

Griffin was steady throughout, completing 7-of-13 passes for 101 yards while adding another 19 yards on the ground on three carries. Brown had two catches for 74 yards. Defensively, Graderius Brown had a team-high seven tackles (five solo), Roosevelt Thompson added six tackles, N'Ktavious Floyd had five tackles (four solo), and Kynton Warner hade five tackles and a sack for Miles, which travels to Kentucky State on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.