Former Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Derek Dooley said Monday he will seek the Democratic-held U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, setting up a 2026 contest against first-term Senator Jon Ossoff. Dooley, 57, announced his bid with the slogan “Georgia First,” positioning himself as a conservative alternative in a race that could help decide control of the chamber. A native of Athens and the son of legendary Georgia Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley, the Republican candidate spent more than two decades in college football, including stints leading Louisiana Tech and Tennessee, where he compiled a 32-41 record overall and went 4-19 in Southeastern Conference play. He most recently served as an analyst on Alabama’s staff in 2022-23. Ossoff, a Democrat who unseated Republican David Perdue in a 2021 runoff, quickly dismissed the new challenger, calling him a “failed and fired former Tennessee football coach.” The Georgia race is expected to attract heavy national spending as both parties defend narrow margins in the U.S. Senate.