Georgia Bulldogs running back Dante Dowdell was hospitalized after suffering ‘serious injuries’ in an ATV accident, head coach Kirby Smart announced.
Dowdell, who transferred to Georgia from Kentucky this offseason, was injured near his home in Picayune, Mississippi. Details of the accident aren’t known.
“He’s injured,” Smart said 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 reporters 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 said.
Dowdell, a senior was expected to play a big role on the Bulldogs offense behind returning starter Nate Fraizer 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.
