For the last few months, it's felt like Kemon Spell was an absolute lock to Notre Dame. The No. 1 running back in the 2027 class all but said the Fighting Irish were the front-runners. He's sent plenty of non-verbal hints as well.
This weekend, things changed. Suddenly, Marcus Freeman's crew is falling behind. All of a sudden, it looks like an SEC power has jumped into the lead.
Considering the work Notre Dame put into stealing Kemon Spell away from Penn State, it's got to be frustrating that several recruiting analysts, including Steve Wiltfong, believe he's now headed to Georgia.
FONG BOMB: Rivals' @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert pick for Georgia to land 5-star RB Kemon Spell💣
— Rivals (@Rivals) November 23, 2025
Spell decommitted from Penn State in October. https://t.co/6On4CquktK pic.twitter.com/uTFkUvHAeO
Notre Dame falls behind Georgia for Kemon Spell's services
"After a handful of conversations, it’s clear Georgia has put itself in a really good spot," On3 analyst Hayes Fawcett wrote, according to Athlon Sports. "The Bulldogs have started to separate themselves and have now emerged as the team out front in Spell’s recruitment."
Spell recently made his way to Athens for a gameday visit with Georgia for its 35-3 win over the Charlotte 49ers. Despite the Bulldogs beating up on an overmatched opponent, the atmosphere between the hedges seems to have been good enough to get him thinking about playing in the SEC.
The fight is far from over and because Notre Dame holds a special place in Spell's heart, the Irish aren't likely to call it quits. The man who first recruited Spell to Penn State, running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider is now in South Bend.
There's plenty of time to overcome a recruiting loss should the running back pull the trigger for Georgia. Considering he's a 2027 recruit, Notre Dame has until next December to lock him down.