Georgia RB Dante Dowdell hospitalized after ATV accidentMark SchlabachJul 21, 2026, 12:34 PM ETClose
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was involved in an ATV accident and is being treated for serious injuries at a hospital in Atlanta, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
Dowdell, who transferred to Georgia from Kentucky this offseason, was injured near his home in Picayune, Mississippi. Details of the accident aren’t known.
Editor’s Picks
Connelly’s ‘Ifs’ List: What needs to go right for 18 national title hopefuls
Can Georgia (or another SEC team) get its national title swagger back?
Sankey: SEC breakaway talk over college bill real
“He’s injured,” Smart mentioned at SEC Media Days. “We don’t know when his return will be. I don’t know the specifics of it, to be honest with you. It was a recreational vehicle, and he had some serious injuries.”
Smart told ESPN that Dowdell is being treated at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in treatment and rehabilitation, including spinal cord and brain injuries.
“He’s out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don’t know what that looks like in terms of this year,” Smart mentioned.
Dowdell, a senior, was expected to be one of the Bulldogs’ top backups behind returning starter Nate Frazier this season. He ran for 560 yards with three touchdowns at Kentucky last season.
Dowdell played at Oregon in 2023 and Nebraska in 2024. He ran for 614 yards with 12 touchdowns in his only season with the Cornhuskers.
“He’s just a tremendous kid [with a] great family,” Smart mentioned. “We’re very supportive of them. Our players have been up there to see him. It’s a really tough deal.”
