This is going to take a little bit of excitement away from what turned out to be a perfect weekend for head coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee. Leading up to kickoff against Bama, news arrived that 4-star defensive line commit Christian Mays was taking an official visit to Georgia. That update came in after Texas and Steve Sarkisian were making a strong push to steal him away, too.
Unfortunately for Heupel and defensive line coach Rodney Garner, Mays, the No. 1 JUCO DL in the country, saw all he needed while in Athens to flip to the Dawgs. So, Tennessee beats Alabama at Neyland, and Georgia loses at home to Auburn, and he still had a change of heart? That's exactly how things went down.
"Just wanted to express how thankful I am for the whole Tennessee program for recruiting me and believing in me," Mays wrote on social media. "After a lot of thought and prayer and deep conversations with my family, I’ve decided to decommit from Tennessee and (am) now committed to The University of Georgia."
🚨BREAKING🚨 No. 1 JUCO DL Christian Mays has flipped his commitment from Tennessee to Georgia, @SWiltfong_ reports. https://t.co/9fgfjnvJm3 pic.twitter.com/umYLKMKNJc
— Rivals (@Rivals) October 19, 2026
Christian Mays flipping from Tennessee to Georgia hurts for several different reasons
Mays was previously Tennessee-bound for a little while, giving the Vols his pledge back on June 6. Since then, however, several schools continued to recruit him pretty dang hard, including Texas and Georgia. It was Kirby Smart to get this done over Steve Sarkisian.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Mays, a 6-5, 340-pounder, is ranked four stars, the No. 1 defensive lineman in the nation, and the No. 3 JUCO player overall for the 2027 class. He was expected to make an immediate impact for the Vols next season, as his size alone is pretty darn eye-opening.
That's not going to happen, though, as Mays will hope to be an SEC playmaker for Smart and Georgia instead. The Northeast Mississippi CC standout was clearly blown away during his visit with UGA, making this new decision simple for him. So, where will the Vols look for some experienced help up front on defense next?
Hayden Lowe's recruitment has become even more important for Tennessee HC Josh Heupel
In case you missed it, former 5-star Miami pass-rusher Hayden Lowe was in town for the win over Auburn, absolutely loving his time in Knoxville. Now at Long Beach City College, Lowe is once again a highly touted target, with Tennessee, Alabama, UCLA, Cal, Missouri, and others chasing his signature before December gets here.
Tennessee is in serious need of help on the outside for next season, with Chaz Coleman no longer being an option for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. For now, it feels like this could end up being a battle between Bama and UT for Lowe's services, and an upcoming visit to Tuscaloosa might end up deciding his future.
Lowe is an incredible talent; there's no denying that. His recruitment moving forward has become quite important for Heupel now that Mays is going to be Georgia-bound. The time to go all-in for the 6-5, 255-pounder is now.
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