Georgia’s 70-20 blowout of Western Kentucky on Saturday did exactly what a game like that is supposed to do: it pushed the Bulldogs to 2-0 and gave a few players a chance to stand out.
The usual caveat applies here. Western Kentucky is nowhere near Georgia’s level, so the score has to be viewed in that light. Still, a handful of Bulldogs made the most of the matchup, while a couple others left more questions than answers.
Gunner Stockton was the cleanest winner of the day. For the second straight week, the quarterback handled his assignment the right way, finishing 13 of 16 for 234 yards and five touchdowns before coming out midway through the second quarter so Georgia could protect him.
Against an overmatched opponent, Stockton didn’t need to do anything flashy. He just went out and took care of business.
True freshman Tyriq Green had the kind of afternoon that gets people’s attention fast. He scored twice in ways that don’t happen often for a defender.
First, he jumped on a fumble in the back of the end zone after a Georgia defender lost the ball following an interception. Then he took a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown.
With SEC play starting, it’s hard to know exactly how much Green will be on the field the rest of the way, but he may have already carved out a real role as one of Georgia’s best return options.
Ryan Puglisi also made a strong case for himself in the backup quarterback battle. That job was still unsettled entering the season’s first two weeks, but Saturday may have settled it.
While Ryan Montgomery struggled, Puglisi showed off his arm and added a 70-yard touchdown run that nobody probably had on their bingo card. Georgia would obviously prefer not to need him this year, but he looks like the clear No. 2 now and may have positioned himself as the likeliest candidate to win the starting job next season.
Craig Dandridge was another bright spot. The true freshman had been turning heads in fall camp, and he gave fans a glimpse of why with two catches for 56 yards, good for second on the team.
Georgia still hasn’t had a wide receiver fully break out this season, which keeps the door open for Dandridge to earn more snaps. He should get another chance next week at Arkansas, and another strong showing could keep his momentum rolling.
On the other side of the ledger, Ryan Montgomery had a rough afternoon. He had been pushing Puglisi for the backup role all offseason, but after Saturday it looks like he’s the No. 3 quarterback.
Montgomery completed just one of four passes for six yards and never produced the kind of moment Puglisi did. More than the numbers, he simply didn’t look comfortable, and that’s not a great sign against a team Georgia was expected to handle easily.
Lawson Luckie also remains stuck in a slow start. He was supposed to be Georgia’s top tight end this season, but through two games he has just one catch for four yards, and that came against Western Kentucky on Saturday.
Some of that likely comes down to playing time, since Kirby Smart pulled starters quickly, but the production is still thin. With SEC play beginning next week, Luckie should have more chances to get going.
Georgia’s next stop is its first SEC game of the season and its first road trip of the year. The Bulldogs travel to Arkansas to face the Razorbacks on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12:00 pm EST. That matchup should be a much tougher measuring stick, and it ought to reveal a lot more about how good this Georgia team really is.
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Georgia May Have A New Answer Behind Gunner Stockton
Georgias quarterback picture behind Gunner Stockton got a little clearer in the win over Western Kentucky, even if it still looks unsettled for the bigger road ahead. Georgia cycled through multiple backups, but Ryan Puglisi emerged as the more intriguing option after he outplayed Ryan Montgomery and flashed the kind of mobility that can change how a backup job is evaluated.
Puglisi finished with modest passing numbers, but his legs provided the real spark, highlighted by a 70-yard touchdown run. He and Montgomery remain the leading candidates to eventually succeed Stockton, yet the competition also underscored how much Georgia still has to sort out at the position beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Making A Push Ohio State Fans Wont Like
David Jacobs recent trip to Athens gave Georgia another chance to make its case in one of the most high-profile recruiting battles on the board. The five-star EDGE from Georgia is currently committed to Ohio State, but the Bulldogs have kept pressing for the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2027 class, and simply getting him back on campus was enough to keep the conversation going.
There is still plenty of time left in the cycle, with roughly three months before recruiting starts to move again in earnest, and the race remains far from settled. Georgia appears to have some momentum here, but whether that translates into a real shot at flipping Jacobs is still unclear, which is exactly why this one will linger for Bulldogs fans watching it unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Chubb Just Received A Hometown Honor Georgia Fans Will Love
Nick Chubbs name has already been woven into Georgia football lore, but his latest honor took him back to where it all started. During Cedartown High Schools Legacy Night, the school retired his No. 21 jersey and celebrated Chubb along with eleven other coaches and players who helped shape the programs history.
For Georgia fans, the moment carried the kind of hometown symmetry that fits Chubbs career. The retired NFL running back and Georgia alumnus reflected on growing up in Cedartown and on the path that carried him to becoming one of the most accomplished rushers in school history, trailing only Herschel Walker on Georgias all-time list. [Read more 🡒]