Arch Manning didn’t set out to scout Tennessee’s newest five-star running back, but that’s exactly what happened when he flipped on Chattanooga Baylor’s nationally televised opener on Aug. 20.
Manning was there to watch his cousin Marshall, Peyton Manning’s son, make his first high school pass against Brentwood Academy. Instead, one of the biggest impressions came from Marshall’s teammate, David Gabriel Georges, the 6-foot, 210-pound Tennessee commit who signed with the Vols over Ohio State on July 22.
“He’s at a really good school,” Manning said about his cousin, Marshall, on Aug. 26.
“They have a really good running back. He looks yoked.
What are they feeding those guys?”
The Texas quarterback’s word choice fit what unfolded on the field. Gabriel Georges powered his way through Brentwood’s defense all night and finished with 250 total yards and three touchdowns, all of them coming in the fourth quarter, as Baylor rolled to a 38-20 win to open its 2026 season.
It was a statement performance in a game loaded with talent. Seven players in the matchup were committed to power conference programs, including Brentwood Academy’s Kesean Bowman, another UT commit. Still, Gabriel Georges was the one who kept jumping off the screen with the kind of production that explains why he’s drawn so much attention.
Tennessee fans already knew the profile. Gabriel Georges is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in Tennessee, the No. 11 overall recruit and the No. 2 running back in the class of 2027. He’s also coming off a junior season that saw him rush for 1,756 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Manning and Texas are scheduled to face Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 26, with both teams opening SEC play that night.
In Other News...
Vols Just Landed A Recruit Ohio State Fans Wanted Badly
Tennessees recruiting momentum got a major boost with the commitment of five-star running back David Gabriel-Georges, a prized 2027 prospect who had been one of the more closely watched names in a competitive race. The Baylor School standout, who plays in Chattanooga, already made a loud first impression this fall with three touchdowns and 261 yards of total offense in his senior debut, and his profile has only grown as the recruiting spotlight has intensified.
Gabriel-Georges arrives with plenty of national buzz, including a ranking from ESPN as the No. 2 running back in his class and praise from Texas quarterback Arch Manning. For Tennessee, landing him means fending off a serious push from Ohio State and keeping one of the top in-state talents close to home, a win that should resonate well beyond this recruiting cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Backfield Is Creating Buzz Heupel Rarely Gives
Josh Heupel does not usually hand out that kind of praise lightly, which is why his comments about Tennessees 2026 running back room stood out. The Vols are bringing back DeSean Bishop after a 1,000-yard season, and he now has a deeper supporting cast around him with sophomores Daune Morris and Justin Baker, plus Tulane transfer Javin Gordon joining the mix.
Heupel said the groups offseason growth has been evident, and their work in preseason camp has only added to the optimism. For a coach who tends to keep the focus on the next practice rather than the next big projection, the idea that this backfield could be the best he has had at Tennessee is a notable benchmark, especially with more of the season still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Lost A New Frontcourt Piece Before The Season
Jalen Washington had looked like a useful frontcourt addition for Tennessee after transferring in from Vanderbilt, bringing a track record that suggested he could give the Volunteers some dependable minutes inside. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in his previous season, and the expectation around Knoxville was that he would settle in as a rotational piece for a team trying to deepen its frontcourt before the year began.
Instead, Washington is currently unable to play because of a legal dispute involving the NCAA and a temporary injunction, and the latest court ruling only tightened the uncertainty. A Tennessee court granted an extraordinary appeal and stayed the trial court order that had allowed him to suit up, leaving his status for the upcoming season in serious doubt and stripping the Volunteers of one of their newest interior options before he ever took the floor. [Read more 🡒]