Three of the celebs of Tennessee’s 2027 recruiting class will sq. off Thursday evening in a extremely anticipated season opener. Five-star Vols operating again dedication David Gabriel Georges and his group from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., will play host to Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy earlier than a nationwide ESPN2 viewers in a rematch of Tennessee’s Division II-AAA championship recreation final yr.
Four-star Tennessee huge receiver dedication Kesean Bowman and four-star Vols linebacker dedication Kenneth Simon II are among the many Division I prospects on Brentwood Academy’s roster. Gabriel Georges, Bowman and Simon are presently the three highest-ranked gamers in Tennessee’s class, in response to 247Sports.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern time at Heywood Stadium. It’s the season opener for all three gamers, who will likely be enjoying for the primary time since all of them introduced their commitments to the Vols over the previous 5 months.
The different noteworthy prospects enjoying for Baylor and Brentwood Academy embody a few of Tennessee’s prime in-state targets in the 2028 class. Baylor’s talent-filled roster contains four-star Class of 2028 tight finish Braxton Rein, who’s a top-50 prospect nationally, together with four-star Class of 2028 security Antwaun Adams, a top-100 prospect. Both of them have already got scholarship affords for the Vols, together with four-star Class of 2028 cornerback Xavier Bowman, a Top247 prospect who just lately transferred from Knoxville Catholic High School to Baylor.
Brentwood Academy additionally has four-star Class of 2028 security Braylen Bedford, a Mississippi native who’s a top-100 prospect nationally. Bedford picked up an early provide from Tennessee in March 2025.
Thursday’s season opener would be the varsity debut of Baylor quarterback Marshall Manning, a Class of 2030 prospect who’s the son of legendary former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning is anticipated to function the Red Raiders’ No. 2 quarterback behind starter Keegan Croucher, a Top247 prospect who has been dedicated to Ole Miss since October.
Baylor pulled out a 28-24 victory towards Brentwood Academy to win the state championship final yr in Tennessee’s prime private-school division. Last yr’s regular-season assembly between the 2 groups, which was scheduled to be performed at Brentwood Academy, was canceled due to extreme climate in the Nashville space.
The Red Raiders completed final season with an ideal 12-0 report. The Eagles went 11-1, profitable 9 of their first 11 video games by double-digit margins.
Gabriel Georges, who picked Tennessee over Ohio State on July 22, is ranked by 247Sports because the No. 11 general prospect and No. 2 operating again in the 2027 class and the No. 1 senior from the state of Tennessee. He’s additionally a five-star prospect in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, the place he is ranked the No. 9 general participant and No. 2 operating again in the 2027 class.
Simon, who’s the son of former Vols linebacker Kevin Simon, initially dedicated to Alabama in May earlier than flipping to Tennessee on June 13. The youthful Simon is ranked the No. 143 general prospect and No. 9 linebacker in the 2027 class in each 247Sports’ rankings and the 247Sports Composite. He’s ranked by 247Sports because the No. 6 senior from Tennessee, whereas he is ranked the No. 7 senior from the Volunteer State in the 247Sports Composite.
Bowman initially dedicated to Oregon in July 2025 earlier than parting methods with the Ducks in September after which committing to Tennessee on March 28. He’s ranked by 247Sports because the No. 81 general prospect and No. 11 huge receiver in the 2027 class and the No. 4 senior from Tennessee. He’s additionally a four-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, the place he is ranked the No. 60 general participant and No. 10 huge receiver in the 2027 class.