THROWN INTO A FIRE: HOW GUNNER BECAME GEORGIA’S GUY
THROWN INTO THE FIRE
Gunners story at QB1 didn’t begin with depth chart promotion, it came with chaos.
On December 7th 2024 in the SEC Championship game against Texas when starter Carson Beck went down with a season ending arm injury. Georgia was trailing 6-3 while just managing to have 54 total yards on offense, Stockton a redshirt sophomore who had only thrown 25 passes all season gets put in the game after halftime.
He also delivered, Stockton led the offense down the field on the first drive after halftime for a touchdown and led Georgia’s offense for points in four of his 6 drives. Georgia went on to win the SEC championship with a 22-19 overtime win.
Three weeks later with Beck’s season officially over Stockton made his first start in the playoffs against Notre Dame and it didn’t go well. Georgia lost 23-10, the game unraveled by a 17 point swing in the second and third quarter and a fumble by Stockton. The perception from the media heading into 2025 was that Georgia had a real weakness at QB.
PROVING IT OVER A FULL SEASON
Stockton spent the whole 2025 season dismantling that view of him one Saturday at a time. Handed the keys as QB1 from day one, Stockton threw for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 10 more touchdowns on the ground across 14 starts. He delivered in the biggest moments with a clutch 4th and 6th touchdown pass to London Humphreys for a touchdown too force overtime against Tennessee. also had a 5 touchdown performance in a rematch rout against Texas, also had a 3 touchdown performance in the SEC Championship game defeating Alabama 28-7 and allowing just -3 rushing yards and to also claim back to back SEC Champions.
Georgia finished the 2025 season 12-2 and Stockton wasn’t just managing the offense he was leading it.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
The one blemish on the 2025 season ended at the hands of Ole Miss in a heartbreaking 39-34 loss in the Sugar Bowl. For a QB whose career had already been defined by a former Sugar Bowl disappointment.
That’s the chip Stockton has on his shoulder for the 2026 season. He returns as one of the most experienced starters in the country and is also backed by a very stout offensive line and a running game that has depth like no other. He’s already shown up on multiple preseason watch list’s, and Georgia’s No. 3 team in the country is high because voters trust what Stockton saw last fall.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
What makes Stockton’s compelling interesting isn’t just the stats, it’s the arch. A player that wasn’t supposed to be the “guy” became the guy, got humbled in his first real test against Notre Dame. He also answered every question he was asked in the offseason. Now he’s chasing the one accomplishment everyone dreams of doing by winning a national championship at Georgia.
If Georgia is going to win it all this season it will be because of Gunner Stockton.
#GoDawgs #DawgNation