The adidas Polynesian Bowl keeps stacking talent, and the latest name to jump on board is one of the most intriguing young quarterbacks in the country.
On Wednesday, Cumming (Ga.) South Forsyth Top247 quarterback Khayel Sam Fong-Talia accepted his invitation to the 2028 adidas Polynesian Bowl. The 6-1, 230-pound passer is 247Sports’ No. 65 overall player, the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and the No. 10 recruit in Georgia.
For Sam Fong-Talia, the invitation carries a different kind of weight.
“I definitely thought it was very special. It meant a lot to me,” said Sam Fong-Talia.
“It meant a lot to just be able to have the opportunity to play in it. Being Polynesian, there's not a lot of Polynesian players out there.
There definitely are Polynesian players who have made a name for themselves, but definitely not a lot. Just being able to represent the Polynesian culture in the Poly Bowl is definitely very special to me.”
That connection runs deep in his family, too.
“My dad is from American Samoa, and my mom is from the islands of Hawaii. So both Hawaiian and Samoan,” said Sam Fong-Talia.
“The Poly Bowl is definitely a lot more special. I've had family play in it in the past.
I had two cousins playing it pretty recently. Tana Alo-Tupuola and Jayden Jackson.
Jayden is over at Oklahoma now, and Tana is at Arizona State. I watched them on television, and just seeing them play definitely inspired me to want to make it to play in those games too.
It's just special because it's the Poly Bowl. You know what I mean?
I'm Polynesian, and to be able to play in the Poly Bowl is just a special feeling. It's definitely just a special feeling.
Then, when we get there, it would definitely be a special feeling being back on my mom's island, and we will have a lot of family that comes out for the game, so it definitely is very special.”
The last few months have moved fast for Sam Fong-Talia. He transferred from South Carolina to Georgia, turned heads at the Elite 11 regional in New York, drew major praise from 247Sports, and was labeled a Top100 recruit in the 2029 class by Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins. The scholarship list has grown right along with the hype.
“It was definitely special coming to school. I was congratulated by everyone.
It was a good feeling, to be honest,” said Sam Fong-Talia following the news that he was becoming a highly-ranked prospect by 247Sports. “After that first day, we definitely calmed it back down and refocused and kept the main thing, the main thing, which is to win.
Going into week one, we ended up having a big game, winning last week. Then, in week two, we ended up winning again.
I think my teammates around me, at least the people I hang around with the most, already knew about me and they believed in my abilities, and knew that most likely I would be in this position. I feel like they expect this from me, and I expect it for myself and hold myself to a standard, and they hold me to that standard.
It's definitely good to just be surrounded by them, and they help keep my head level. They are just great guys to be around.”
Recruiting interest has picked up quickly, with several schools making him a priority even though he is still at least a year, maybe two, away from a decision.
“I've definitely been feeling the love from schools like Kentucky, Notre Dame, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee,” said Sam Fong-Talia. “Those schools have really resonated with me and my family and have shown a lot of love.”
He’s also planning to get around this fall and see some of those programs in person. Sam Fong-Talia said he expects to make trips to Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Clemson, and he said he will for sure go to Auburn vs. Baylor this Saturday at Mercedes-Benz.
Even with the growing list of offers, there are still some major programs that haven’t gotten involved yet. One of them is his “dream offer,” so that part of his recruitment is still waiting to unfold.
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