A number of former Georgia high school players enjoyed outstanding performances during Week 7 of the 2022 college football season. Their on-field production directly impacted the outcome of several games, further reinforcing the reputation of the state as a hotbed of football talent. Here are some of the notable college games in which alumni of Georgia high schools dominated the scene on the third Saturday of October.
Alabama vs. Tennessee
The Volunteers made history by knocking off the Crimson Tide 52-49 to end a 15-game skid in the head-to-head series. This epic Week 7 college football game would not have been close, however, without the contributions of former Georgia Tech running back and current Alabama star Jahmyr Gibbs, who rushed for over 100 yards and scored three times. Gibbs set numerous records at Dalton, including rushing for 420 yards and 8 touchdowns in a single game and dominating opponents in 2019 with 2,554 rush yards and 40 scores. His trademark elusiveness was once again on display against the Vols.
Tennessee showed plenty of Georgia-grown influence defensively, as three of the game’s four leading tacklers played high school football in the Peach State. Trevon Flowers (Tucker), Doneiko Slaughter (Roswell), and Christian Charles (Chestatee) combined for 27 total tackles, showcasing the talent that led the Volunteers to recruit the Atlanta-area studs. Tennessee would not have defeated Alabama without the production of those three players.
Duke vs. North Carolina
This important ACC showdown went the Tarheels’ way late, but Duke might have won solely on the heroic efforts of former Mill Creek linebacker Shaka Heyward, who racked up 13 tackles and constantly pressured quarterback Drake Maye.
The Blue Devils fell just short when their quarterback, Riley Leonard, was intercepted by freshman Will Hardy in the closing seconds. Hardy has been a breakout star for the Tarheels, but that comes as no surprise to Greater Atlanta Christian fans, who saw the athlete post a whopping 133 tackles (14 for loss) and 8 interceptions his senior year.
Another dominant Georgia high school player was wide receiver Josh Downs, now one of the nation’s best collegiate pass catchers, who had 9 receptions for 126 yards. Downs was a menace at North Gwinnett who has further developed his deadly run-after-catch skills at the college level.
Georgia vs. Vanderbilt
As expected, a host of Georgia high school football alumni took the field for the Bulldogs. On the other side of this Week 7 college football matchup, Vanderbilt’s starting quarterback, AJ Swann, also grew up in the state. Swann broke out in 2020 at Cherokee, passing for 23 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards as a junior. He has yet to throw an interception for the Commodores.
Georgia’s leading rusher and passer both originate from the southern part of the state: Stetson Bennett played for Pierce County and Daijun Edwards starred at Colquitt County. The duo combined for over 300 scrimmage yards and 3 touchdowns against Vanderbilt.
Georgia Southern vs. James Madison
A week after losing to Georgia State, the Eagles quickly regained composure with an upset of the 25th-ranked Dukes. In a game that featured a mind-blowing 578 passing yards from Georgia Southern QB Kyle Vantrease, several Peach State playmakers kept the upset bid alive.
Khaleb Hood, a former safety at ELCA, switched to receiver at Georgia Southern and the decision paid off as he hauled in eight passes for 131 yards. Derwin Burgess Jr., a Riverdale alumni, added seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, cornerback Derrick Canteen (Evans) was a beast, defending three passes, making 12 total tackles, and notching both a sack and a tackle for loss.
Other notable freshmen from Georgia included Marc Stampley (Starr’s Mill), Latrell Bullard (North Cobb), Josh Thompson (Johns Creek), and Omari Arnold, who totaled 6,558 career rushing yards at Brooks County.
Ole Miss vs. Auburn
Tank Bigsby’s massive Week 7 college football performance was overshadowed by 448 Ole Miss rushing yards. The former Callaway running back, who won several awards in Class 2A and rushed for over 700 yards during his junior year postseason, toted the ball 20 times and produced 179 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Rebels. However, two fumbles by his teammates ultimately sealed the win for Mississippi.
Those two fumbles were recovered by former basketball and football star Jared Ivey, another North Gwinnett product. He initially played at Georgia Tech before transferring to Ole Miss. Both teams’ leading tacklers also originated from Georgia. Auburn’s Owen Pappoe is a household name who is continuing the Grayson legacy of developing five-star talent. Lesser known, however, is safety Otis Reese from Lee County. These two playmakers combined for 26 tackles and a sack in a high-scoring SEC affair.
