Jared Curtis’ Big Georgia Decision Sets Off Chain Reaction as Bowe Bentley Cuts List to 2 SEC Powerhouses

You know that moment in a movie where one character makes a huge move and the whole plot flips on its head? Yeah, that just happened in college football. Jared Curtis, the golden boy of the 2026 recruiting class, finally stopped playing the “Will he? Won’t he?” game and chose the Georgia Bulldogs over Oregon Ducks powered by Nike’s divisional street. Just when folks were catching their breath from that twist, BOOM — Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 player in the country, dropped a bomb by picking the Miami Hurricanes. Not going to lie, many folks did not see that coming. And now? Well now, all eyes have landed on Texas gunslinger Bowe Bentley, who just slashed his list down to two southern heavyweights. And surprise, surprise: it isn’t Georgia (Obviously).

That’s right. Bentley, the man who straight-up terrorized Texas defenses last fall, is choosing between LSU and Oklahoma. That Georgia offer? Gone cold after Curtis signed up to bark between the hedges. And with other top-tier QBs like Faizon Brandon (Tennessee) and Dia Bell (Texas) already snatched off the market, Bentley’s stock just skyrocketed like a Dogecoin tweet from Elon. The four-star flamethrower from Celina, TX now sits as the 7th-ranked QB in the country and every bit the next “one.”

Georgia was the 3rd team in this before Curtis committed.

Sooners vs Tigers! https://t.co/Ixa5elg8Eb

— ChadSimmons (@ChadSimmons_) May 17, 2025

The stats? Oh, they nasty. Bentley led Celina to a perfect 16-0 season and a UIL 4A state title last year, tossing for 4,200 yards and 63 (yes, sixty-three) touchdowns. He followed that up by cooking again at the US Navy All-American Bowl in January, letting everybody know this wasn’t some one-hit wonder. With a 92 rating on 247Sports and a cannon for an arm, the chase has been real. Arizona tried, Georgia flirted, and they were 3rd favorite before they went ahead with No.2 player in the country. And Ohio State threw a look—but LSU and OU brought that southern heat.

Oklahoma makes sense. The Bentley bloodline is straight crimson—Sooner lifers. The kid grew up rocking OU gear like it was his school uniform. Bowe grew up watching great Sooners QB like Jalen Hurts, OG Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, but Bowe isn’t letting nostalgia steer the ship. “Whenever this started to blow up, we kind of realized, okay, this is bigger than just a fan favorite,” he told On3. “We gotta go in depth about everything.”

And that depth? It’s complicated. New OC/QB coach Ben Arbuckle’s been on Bentley like white on rice ever since landing in Norman. But there’s a twist: OU already has a QB commit in Jaden O’Neal. And if Bentley jumps on board? O’Neal might pack it up. Word is, he’s been sneaking peeks at Florida State and Auburn lately. The dominoes are wobbling, and Arbuckle better land Bentley or risk getting caught QB-less in Year 1.

Can LSU bag Bowe Bentley?

Brian Kelly sure as hell hopes so. LSU’s been recruiting Bowe like he’s the last quarterback on Earth. They rolled out the purple carpet when Bentley visited Baton Rouge during Spring Camp. And according to Bowe, they didn’t just shake hands and take pics. Nah, they connected.

“They made it clear that I am a priority for them,” Bentley said. “I’ve gotten to know Coach Sloan well over the past couple months, we talk nearly every night and he is a really genuine good guy.” The pitch isn’t fluff either. LSU’s track record with QBs speaks for itself. Jayden Daniels just finessed a Heisman and Joe Burrow’s basically Baton Rouge royalty at this point. Bentley sees that. He sees what LSU can do with a quarterback. And you better believe those Death Valley lights hit different when you’re the one under center.

“There’s nothing like walking into Tiger Stadium and knowing I can do big things,” Bentley told On3. He even got to soak in a baseball game during his visit, and apparently LSU fans left a mark. “There’s no question that LSU fans are awesome,” he added. Bentley’s next stop? Baton Rouge again. He’ll be there for a multi-day official from June 20-22, right when LSU’s turning the heat up on their top 2026 targets. Word is, they’re stacking recruits for that weekend, turning it into a full-court blitz.

But don’t count out Oklahoma just yet. Arbuckle wants Bentley bad. Like, ‘bring him to the family BBQ’ bad. And with Bentley set to visit Norman as well, it’s still very much a coin flip. The big question? Does he follow his roots or start a new legacy down in Baton Rouge?

Here’s what makes this wild: Bentley might also flip the Sooners’ QB room on its head. If he commits, O’Neal’s exit feels inevitable. O’Neal pledged when Seth Littrell was running things. Now, he’s window shopping, and Florida State looks like the frontrunner. That means Arbuckle’s entire 2026 class could hinge on Bentley saying yes.

And from LSU’s side? They already whiffed on Curtis and weren’t even in the Cantwell sweepstakes. Bentley is the guy now. He’s QB1 on their board. You gotta go all-in on Texas QBs. The Tigers are pressing the gas on this one, and there’s no backup plan. They’re all-in. Meanwhile, Bentley knows his decision’s bigger than fan colors. “Wherever I’m going, [I’ll be] there all the time,” he said. “Being around the team, being around the community with other recruits. Just growing that team connection and team chemistry.”

And when that commit drops? Best believe the ripple effects are coming fast and loud. Just ask Georgia, who started this whole thing when they scooped Curtis.

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