Tennessee, Georgia lose out on elite running back to Big Ten program
By Mark Kern
Published:
Tennessee and Georgia have been battling both on the field for quite some time, as well on the recruiting trail. Both teams have experienced many wins in this rivalry, but on Tuesday, they were both on the end of a loss as Michigan beat them out for 4-star running back Savion Hiter.
Hiter chose the Wolverines at the end of a lengthy recruiting process that came to a close on Tuesday morning:
Hiter is one of the very best players in the class of 2026, as the 247Sports Composite ankings has him as the No. 9 overall player in the class. He is the No. 1 running back in the country, and is coming off a monster junior season where he rushed for 1,698 yards and 26 touchdowns.
While both Tennessee and Georgia both could have used him in a big way, both teams are doing a very good job recruiting the 2026 class. The Bulldogs currently have the No. 1 class recruiting class in the nation, per 247Sports Composite rankings, with 31 players already committed from the class. The group is led by 5-star quarterback Jared Curtis, who is the No. 11 player.
The Volunteers are also putting together a solid class, as they have the 11th ranked class in 2026. Their group is led by 5-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, who is the No. 1 player in the class.
This isn’t the first time these two teams have battled for a player, and it won’t be the last. The Bulldogs and the Volunteers will also be battling on the football field soon as well, as they square off on Sept. 13 in Knoxville.