Georgia earned a huge victory in the recruiting world just 3 days after its heartbreaking loss to Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Former Clemson star safety Khalil Barnes told ESPN on Sunday afternoon that he has committed to Georgia for the 2026 season. Barnes had been a mainstay for Clemson over the past 3 seasons, starting 30 games for the Tigers, registering 7 interceptions and 18 pass breakups, and earning All-American honors as a freshman.
Barnes’ agent told On3 on Friday afternoon that the highly coveted safety in the transfer portal that had just opened had visits scheduled to Georgia and, ironically, Ole Miss over the weekend. According to the On3 report, Barnes was to visit Georgia on Saturday and Ole Miss on Sunday and Monday. But apparently, Barnes made his decision before that time had even passed, with the Bulldogs winning this battle with the Rebels after losing on the field on New Year’s Day night.
Barnes had 40 total tackles for Clemson this past season, with 24 of them solo. He added 2 pass deflections in 2025.
His career numbers at Clemson also included 139 tackles and 3 forced fumbles.
Now, he’ll be taking his talents from the ACC to the SEC in 2026, and Barnes has picked Athens, the city he just happened to be born in. All these years later, he’ll be playing college football in Athens for the hometown Bulldogs.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
