Samwise College Football Newsletter
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Georgia RB Dante Dowdell's Recovery Timeline Remains Unclear After ATV Accident
Georgia running back Dante Dowdell continues his recovery at Atlanta's Shepherd Center — a hospital specializing in spinal cord and brain injuries — following an ATV accident this summer. Kirby Smart addressed reporters Tuesday at SEC Media Days, offering cautious optimism while keeping expectations in check. “He's out of the really tough range,” Smart said, “but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don't know what that looks like in terms of this year.” Dowdell, who transferred from Kentucky via Oregon and Nebraska, totaled 1,264 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in 30 career games.
Day 2 at SEC Media Days: Smart, Beamer, Golesh and Lea All Come Ready
Tuesday's SEC Media Days session in Tampa delivered sharp soundbites across the board. Georgia's Kirby Smart — reigning back-to-back SEC champion — embraced his team's underdog image: “The more you question them, the more it helps me motivate them.” South Carolina's Shane Beamer was more blunt after his team's 4-8 collapse in 2025: “Everybody thinks we suck.” New Auburn head coach Alex Golesh, tasked with ending a four-year losing streak, set his tone early: “I don't set goals…I set standards.” Vanderbilt's Clark Lea added, “Last season was not an arrival; it was simply another step in the climb.”
Sources: Last Word on College Football Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Tennessee Heavy Favorite as 5-Star RB David Gabriel Georges Announces Today at 5:30 PM
The biggest recruiting moment of the summer arrives Wednesday evening in Chattanooga. Five-star running back David Gabriel Georges — the nation's No. 2 running back and No. 10 overall prospect in the 2027 class per 247Sports — is set to announce his commitment at 5:30 p.m. EDT, with Tennessee and Ohio State as the finalists. The Volunteers enter the announcement as heavy favorites: four On3 recruiting experts predicted Tennessee on Monday and Tuesday, and insiders report Georges has already quietly made his decision. Tennessee's offer reportedly includes nearly $6 million in NIL support over three years, believed to be the difference-maker.
Sources: Yahoo Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
DeBoer Faces His Biggest Question in Year 3: Who Starts at QB for Alabama?
Kalen DeBoer opened Alabama's 2026 SEC Media Days session Wednesday morning in Tampa with one question looming over every topic: who starts at quarterback? Redshirt junior Austin Mack and redshirt sophomore Keelon Russell have battled through spring, with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb calling the race “pretty even.” DeBoer cautioned after A-Day that fans shouldn't overreact to Russell's spring advantage, noting Mack was dealing with a minor injury. The competition grows more urgent given Alabama's reshuffled offensive line — four of five starters departed, with center Michael Carroll the lone returnee — leaving DeBoer's third season defined by youth and urgent questions.
Sources: Yardbarker Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Pete Golding Steps Out of Kiffin's Shadow in His Ole Miss Media Days Debut
For the first time, Pete Golding spoke Wednesday at SEC Media Days as a head football coach. Golding, who spent years as Lane Kiffin's defensive coordinator in Oxford, was promoted to head coach when Kiffin departed for LSU — a mirror-image storyline tailor-made for the SEC. Golding represents one of six head coaching changes across the conference this offseason and faces the task of maintaining Ole Miss momentum without its most recognizable architect. The Rebels were represented Wednesday by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy, and defensive tackle Will Echoles, as Golding launched his first chapter as the man in charge at Oxford.
Sources: CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
2025 CFP Champion
🏆 Indiana Hoosiers
Big Ten: 3 straight national titles
2026 AP Preseason Poll: releases mid-August
2026 SEC Media Days
Day 3 — Tampa (Today)
Alabama • Florida • Ole Miss • Texas A&M
Season Opener
Georgia vs Tennessee State — Sept. 5
Alabama vs FSU — Sept. 5 (Atlanta)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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