Tennessee has every reason to be excited about David Gabriel Georges. The five-star commit from Baylor School has opened his season in a way that’s hard to ignore, piling up big numbers and giving Vols fans a clear glimpse of what could be coming to Knoxville.
Through four games, Gabriel Georges has rushed for 760 yards and 12 touchdowns on 77 carries. He’s also helped Baylor sprint to a 4-0 start, with the Red Raiders sitting at No. 11 in the country and No. 1 in Tennessee. His recent stretch has been especially eye-catching: in the season opener against Brentwood Academy, he posted 250 all-purpose yards and two scores, then followed that up last week with 316 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Even with that production, Gabriel Georges is not the top-ranked running back in the 2027 class. That spot belongs to Georgia commit Kemon Spell, who holds the No. 1 RB ranking on Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN.
Spell has been every bit the elite prospect as advertised and has also gotten off to a strong start this season. Through his first four games, he has 569 yards and eight touchdowns on 34 carries. That works out to 16.7 yards per carry, compared with Gabriel Georges’ 9.9.
Naturally, the numbers have sparked plenty of online debate about which back deserves the top spot. But from Tennessee’s perspective, the bigger picture is simple: Gabriel Georges looks like a difference-maker, and the Vols are getting one of the premier talents in the 2027 class.
Gabriel Georges, though, isn’t interested in feeding the ranking conversation. After his season-opening performance last month helped push the discussion even further, he addressed it directly on X.
“Thanks for all the support it’s crazy but I’m sick of talking about rankings,” Gabriel Georges wrote in a statement on X. “Whether I’m ranked second or not who cares?
Put me last all I want to do is play football. It was a great game, but there’s no need to insult the opposing team they have some of the best players I’ve ever played against.”
For Tennessee, the message is the same regardless of where the rankings land: a big-time back is on the way, and Vol fans have plenty of reason to feel good about it.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Loaded Offense Could Have One More Freshman Problem Soon
Tennessees offense already has the look of a unit built to stay dangerous for a while, but ESPN thinks the Vols may not be done adding playmakers to the picture. The latest name to watch is five-star running back recruit David Gabriel-Georges, who checks in at No. 13 overall in the SC Next ESPN 300 and arrives with the kind of power, balance and explosiveness that can make a freshman hard to keep off the field.
For Tennessee, the appeal goes beyond simply landing another elite recruit. Gabriel-Georges has the traits to contribute early and eventually grow into a featured role, which matters for an offense that could be looking ahead to a post-2026 backfield if DeSean Bishop moves on to the NFL. Even in a loaded room, the Vols have a chance to turn a highly rated newcomer into the next major piece of the attack. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee-Texas Just Added More Intrigue For Frustrated Vols Fans
Kenny Chesney helped put Tennessees Sept. 26 matchup with Texas back in the spotlight during an appearance on ESPNs First Take, where the Knoxville native was on hand to promote his new tour and ended up talking football instead. The Volunteers are set to host the Longhorns at Neyland Stadium in the annual Checker Neyland game, with ABC carrying the broadcast and a Noon ET kickoff currently on the books.
For fans already frustrated by the timing, the attention only added another layer to a game that already carries plenty of weight on the schedule. Stephen A. Smith raised the possibility the kickoff could still be changed, leaving Tennessee supporters with one more wrinkle to monitor as the date draws closer and the buildup to one of the seasons biggest home games keeps growing. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Have One Reason To Expect A Stress-Free Saturday
Knox News took a different route in previewing Tennessees upcoming game against Kennesaw State, running 100 simulations of the matchup on EA Sports College Football 27. The results pointed to what Vols fans probably hope to see on a fall Saturday: Tennessee controlling the game early and often, with the model projecting an average score around 51-17 and plenty of room for the offense to settle in.
The simulations leaned heavily toward a comfortable finish for Tennessee, which fits the broader sense that this is a game the Vols should handle without much drama. There were statistical trends worth watching in the breakdown, along with reporter notes on how the matchup could play out, but the larger takeaway was hard to miss: if the real game follows the video-game script, Tennessee should spend most of the afternoon in command. [Read more 🡒]