Georgia’s pass rush could use a jolt, and the guy who might have provided it is now wearing Miami colors.
Damon Wilson, who was once on Georgia’s roster, has landed on the preseason All-ACC First Team after moving on to the Hurricanes. For a Bulldogs team entering the 2026 season as one of the favorites to win the SEC and with the sixth-best odds to win a national championship, it’s the kind of development that has to sting a little. Georgia looks strong on paper, but the defensive front remains a spot where there’s room to grow after struggling to get to the quarterback last season.
Wilson would have fit that need perfectly. He left Georgia after the 2024 season, with expectations that he would be a starter in 2025.
Instead, he transferred to Missouri and turned in a huge year, piling up nine sacks in the 2025 season. After that, he entered the Transfer Portal again and ended up at Miami, where the expectations are now sky high.
For Georgia, he’s the ex-Bulldog who probably tops the list of players they wish had stayed put.
Miami, meanwhile, is once again dealing with a former Georgia player who arrived with plenty of drama attached. Last year it was Carson Beck. This year it’s Wilson.
When Wilson first left for Missouri, there was no apparent bad blood with Georgia. The move was part of the modern college football landscape, and Athens simply had to move on. But after that, Wilson was accused of failing to pay back part of his Georgia NIL deal as a buyout, which led to a court battle.
That case still hasn’t been resolved. Wilson says he does not owe Georgia any money, while Georgia is claiming he owes more than $500,000.
None of that changes what Georgia would like to have right now: a proven edge rusher who could help fix the one area that gave them trouble last season. Instead, the Bulldogs have to watch from afar and hope someone else steps forward while Wilson heads into what could be another big year in Miami.
In Other News...
Oklahoma's Coach Just Said What Georgia Fans Already Believe
Brent Venables did not sound like a coach looking for bulletin-board material when he talked about Georgia. The Oklahoma head coach instead framed the Bulldogs as the standard in college football, a compliment that lands with extra weight because it comes from a program that has spent years trying to measure itself against the sports best. For Georgia fans, it is the kind of outside validation that has become familiar under Kirby Smart, especially when the conversation turns to what happens in Athens.
The timing makes the praise even more interesting, because Georgia and Oklahoma are set to meet again in week four of the upcoming season, with the matchup carrying the feel of a rare rematch. The programs have only faced each other once before, and Venables remarks only sharpen the anticipation around a game that already has plenty of history attached to it, even if most of that history belongs to one unforgettable meeting. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smarts Son Is Suddenly Becoming A Real Recruiting Battle
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Syracuse coach Fran Brown, who once worked with Kirby Smart, has also made it clear he likes what he sees and intends to get involved. The family connection adds an unusual layer to the process, because Brown says he still needs to call Kirby before moving forward, while Andrews eventual path could come with its own complications if he wants to carve out a reputation separate from his fathers. [Read more 🡒]