Georgia Bulldogs sophomore linebacker Troy Bowles is entering the transfer portal
Georgia Bulldogs sophomore linebacker Troy Bowles is entering the NCAA transfer portal. Bowles was a four-star recruit and the No. 6 linebacker in the class of 2023.
The 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker has primarily served a reserve role during his time with Georgia. Bowles appeared in Georgia’s first two games of the 2024 season, but has not played since. In 2023, Bowles recorded five tackles in five games including three tackles against UT Martin.
Bowles, who has excellent speed, will have three years of eligibility at his new school. Bowles played high school football for Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. Bowles’ father, Todd Bowles, is the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so Bowles comes from an excellent football background.
Six Georgia defenders intend to enter the transfer portal ahead of Georgia’s Sugar Bowl game on Jan. 1. Of course, almost all of these players could still play in UGA’s bowl game.
Head coach Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his son Troy Bowles. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Georgia defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett, cornerback Julian Humphrey, outside linebacker Samuel M’Pemba, defensive back Justyn Rhett and defensive back David Daniel-Sisavanh are in the transfer portal.
Key takeaways from Georgia’s 2025 schedule, which has just three true road games
The Georgia Bulldogs have released their schedule for the 2025 college football season. The schedule will feature all of the same SEC opponents, except in opposite stadium of 2024, meaning if Georgia played a team at home this year, next year the Bulldogs will play them on the road.
Georgia starts their season against Marshall from the Sun Belt Conference and Austin Peay from the Ohio Valley Conference, both at home. The Bulldogs start SEC play on the road against Tennessee. After a bye week, they return to play Alabama and Kentucky in Weeks 5 and 6. They travel to Auburn in Week 7 and play Ole Miss at home in Week 8 before their second bye.
In Week 10, the Bulldogs go to Jacksonville to play Florida in another edition of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia’s Week 11 features a matchup vs. Mississippi State before they play two more home games against Texas and Charlotte. The game against Georgia Tech will be in Mercedes Benz Stadium in 2025 and not Bobby Dodd Stadium.
HERE ARE FOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM the release of Georgia’s Schedule:
Home games are electric
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After the SEC championship win, Kirby Smart took a shot at the SEC commissioner Sankey when he mentioned that Georgia was being sent on the road all year against difficult opponents.
Well, now that will be flipped. In 2025, the Georgia home schedule will be absolutely insane, with Georgia playing Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas in Sanford Stadium. Georgia enters the season on a 31 game home winning streak.
Ole Miss will be losing Jaxson Dart, along with their lead back, leading receiver, and leading defensive back in interceptions, but the Rebels currently have the 17th ranked recruiting class and the fourth-ranked transfer portal class.
Texas and Georgia get more rivalry fortifying
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Speaking of home games, Georgia’s home game against Texas is perhaps the most anticipated game of the 2025 college football season. The game will be another chapter in a budding SEC rivalry.
Georgia has beaten Texas twice already; once in the regular season and once in the SEC championship. However, the Longhorns will still be considered a juggernaut in the SEC regardless of the results against Georgia this year. If Texas wins, this rivalry could really blossom.
The biggest game Georgia has on the road in 2025 is against Tennessee. That game also starts Georgia’s SEC schedule. Georgia will hope to start the year off on a high note against the Volunteers.
The Bulldogs currently have an eight-game winning streak against Tennssee and will be looking to tie the longest winning streak of the rivalry. However, this game has important implications because of next week.
Georgia plays Alabama in the Bulldogs’ next matchup after the bye. Alabama has a much more favorable schedule coming into the Georgia matchup. The Crimson Tide has also won nine of their last 10 games against the Bulldogs.
If Georgia lost to Tennessee and Alabama, the Bulldogs could be 2-2 and unranked for the first time in several years.
Neutral site rivalry game will be an interesting twist
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In normal circumstances, Georgia would head to Bobby Dodd Stadium to play Georgia Tech next year. However, the next chapter of “Clean, Ole Fashioned Hate” will be played in Mercedes Benz.
Obviously, Georgia Tech is in Atlanta as well, so people would expect the stadium filled with yellow. However, Georgia fans travel extremely well, so this game could see the true extent of both teams’ support in the rivalry.
Even with Georgia boasting a seven-game winning streak, Georgia Tech has lost close in the past two matchups, with the Bulldogs needing eight overtimes to defeat the Yellow Jackets in 2024.
Georgia football’s third defensive back has decided to enter the transfer portal ahead of UGA’s Sugar Bowl game
Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Justyn Rhett has decided to enter the transfer portal.
Rhett, a Las Vegas native, spent two seasons with the Bulldogs but appeared in only four games. As a freshman in 2023, he played against UT Martin and Ball State while taking a redshirt year. In 2024, he saw action in games against Clemson and Tennessee Tech, recording one tackle in each.
However, his season was cut short due to an injury he sustained early in the year. He got healthier as the season went on, but never returned to game action.
Originally a four-star recruit in the class of 2023, Rhett committed to Notre Dame before flipping to Georgia less than 10 days later. Rhett ranked as the No. 355 overall player and the 40th-best cornerback nationally, however, he primarily worked with Georgia’s safeties and star positions during his time in Athens.
With three years of eligibility remaining, Rhett will look for opportunities elsewhere. He is the fifth Georgia player to enter the portal during the winter transfer portal cycle, joining David Daniel Sisavanh, Julian Humphrey, Michael Jackson III and Jamaal Jarrett.
Georgia Bulldogs legend Herschel Walker graduates from UGA over 40 years after his playing career
Former Georgia Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker is the greatest college football player of all-time. Walker, who played football at Georgia from 1980-1982, has accomplished a lot, but still had not graduated from the University of Georgia.
Over 40 years after the end of his playing career, Walker graduated from UGA on Dec. 12, 2024. Walker struck the Heisman pose as he walked across the stage at his graduation. Walker graduates as member of the class of 2024 with a Housing Management and Policy major.
Walker scored 52 total touchdowns, won a national championship in 1980, won the 1982 Heisman, and ran for 5,259 yards over his decorated three season college career. He played professional football in the USFL and the NFL.
Walker and Georgia running back Frank Sinkwich (1942) are the only two UGA players to win a Heisman Trophy.
Walker along with current Georgia Bulldogs Cash Jones, Noah Jones, Brett Thorson, Smael Mondon, Collin Drake, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Arian Smith, Tate Ratledge and Sam Shurtleff are all graduating from UGA this winter.
Georgia football’s graduating class has accomplished a lot including winning multiple national championships and SEC championships. Georgia has not lost at home since 2019.
Only one schools pays assistant coaches more that the Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs have the second-biggest football assistant coach pay allotment of any school in the country at $10.3 million. Only Ohio State pays their assistant coaches more than Georgia.
Georgia’s assistants are worth it. The Bulldogs have won two of the last three national championships and have made four straight SEC championship appearances (two SEC title wins).
Georgia has three of the top 30 highest paid assistants in the country. USA TODAY looked at over salary and bonus amounts for over 1,100 assistant college football coaches (at public schools only).
The country’s highest paid assistant is LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker at $2.5 million. The country’s lowest paid assistant makes $50,000 highlighting pay gap between the nation’s elite Power Four programs and lower tier Group of Five schools.
How much does every Georgia football assistant coach make?
Co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann: $2,003,000 (No. 7 highest paid assistant in the country)
Georgia and three Big Ten schools are contending to land California Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza
The Georgia Bulldogs are among the top contenders to land a commitment from California Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza is considered a four-star transfer prospect.
247Sports ranks Mendoza as the nation’s second-best quarterback in the transfer portal and the No. 9 overall prospect.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound sophomore has two years of eligibility left. Mendoza helped California go 6-6 in their first season in the ACC and advance to the LA Bowl.
Mendoza passed for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. His QBR of 64.2 is ranked No. 53 in the country. Mendoza would bring experience to Georgia’s quarterback room. The sophomore was sacked 41 times this season with Cal and would likely get much better protection at UGA.
He’d compete with Gunner Stockton for the starting role at Georgia. Georgia’s 2023 starter, Carson Beck, suffered an elbow injury in the SEC championship. Beck has one year of eligibility left, but he was expected to enter the 2025 NFL draft prior to his injury.
Indiana, UCLA and Wisconsin are all also contenders to land Mendoza.
UNC offensive lineman, a former Georgia Bulldog, has withdraws from the NCAA transfer portal after UNC hires Bill Belichick
Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Austin Blaske transferred to the North Carolina Tar Heels following the 2023 college football season. Blaske, who was named as Georgia’s starting left tackle before the 2023 season, battled injuries in his final season with UGA before electing to transfer.
Blaske was considering transferring again before UNC hired former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. After UNC’s shocking decision to hire Belichick, Blaske announced that he was removing his name from the transfer portal.
“I have decided to take my name out of the transfer portal,” said Blaske via social media.
The senior offensive lineman will play his final college season with the Tar Heels. Blaske started at center in 11 all games that he was healthy for during the 2024 season with UNC. Blaske’s return boosts UNC’s offensive front. The Tar Heels went 6-6 in 2024 and will be competing in the Fenway Bowl.
Blaske began his career at Georgia from 2020-2023. He played in 17 total games and redshirted in 2020.
SEC analyst Paul Finebaum was not happy with Kirby Smart’s comment to SEC commissioner Sankey.
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is known for being outspoken. After Georgia’s victory over Texas in the SEC championship, that outspoken side of him showed when he took a shot at SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
“It means rest for a team that Greg Sankey and his staff sent on the road all year long,” Smart said. “We get to take a little bit of a break and get ready for the College Football Playoff. This team needs some rest mentally, needs a little time off.”
Georgia has played a tough schedule on the road this year. Both of the Bulldogs losses came against Alabama and Ole Miss on the road, and the Bulldogs’ first game against Texas was also on the road.
Sankey did not appreciate the shot. Cameras showed him scowling at Smart after the comment. SEC football analyst Paul Finebaum didn’t appreciate it either.
“I think everybody knows my affinity for Kirby Smart, but I, frankly, thought he was out of line for blasting the commissioner standing right next to him, presenting the trophy,” Finebaum said on Monday. “What was the point of taking a cheap shot at the commissioner of the SEC who did not do that schedule?”
“… For Kirby Smart who rarely makes an error, I thought it was really below the belt. Can you not say that without calling out the guy next to you who’s handing out the championship trophy?”
For what it’s worth, Georgia will play Ole Miss, Alabama, and Texas at home in 2025. Still, judging by Sankey’s body language, the SEC commissioner was not happy about the comment.
Smart has already made $800,000 in bonuses and could earn up to $1,775,000 in total bonuses this year. If Georgia wins in the Sugar Bowl, then Smart is likely due another bonus.
Smart has won a pair of national championships and three SEC championships since he began coaching at Georgia in 2016. In the spring of 2024, Smart signed a massive contract extension with Georgia through the 2030 college football season.
For Georgia fans, Smart is worth every penny. This season has arguably been his best coaching job. Smart, who played safety at Georgia in the 1990s, helped Georgia navigate one of the toughest schedules in college football.
Georgia managed to win the SEC despite playing six ranked opponents. To make matters tougher, Georgia starting quarterback Carson Beck went down midway through the SEC championship. Smart and UGA did not flinch. The Bulldogs won an SEC championship over Texas with back up quarterback Gunner Stockton.
UGA’s Jalon Walker earns 2024 Butkus Award, which is given annually to college football’s top linebacker
Georgia football linebacker Jalon Walker has won the 2024 Butkus Award for nation’s best linebacker over Clemson’s Barrett Carter, Ole Miss’ Chris Paul Jr., UCLA’s Carson Scwesinger and Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman.
Walker was a standout performer for the Bulldogs’ defense this season. Across 13 games, he recorded 57 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks, all career highs. He demonstrated his versatility by excelling as both a linebacker in coverage and a pass rusher. A true Swiss Army knife player, Walker delivered clutch performances throughout the year, putting together a memorable and impressive season for the Dawgs.
He is Georgia’s third Butkus Award winner in the Kirby Smart era when Roquan Smith won in 2017, Nakobe Dean in 2022, and now Walker in 2024.
Georgia has made a name for themselves at getting and developing quality at the linebacker position. Walker is a prime example of that case for the Bulldogs. With nine draftees at the linebacker position Walker is primed to be Kirby Smart’s 10th linebacker drafted since his arrival in 2016.
Despite winning the award for the nation’s best linebacker, Walker did not make the All-SEC first-team as a linebacker.
