Georgia may have gotten a clearer read on its quarterback depth chart during Saturday’s blowout of Western Kentucky, and Ryan Puglisi looked like the guy who’s ahead in the race.
The Bulldogs spent most of the game emptying the bench after controlling an overmatched opponent early, but the quarterback situation drew the most attention. Georgia used multiple backups all over the field, yet the snaps at quarterback offered the biggest takeaway: Puglisi may have separated himself from Ryan Montgomery as the No. 2 behind Gunner Stockton.
That wasn’t necessarily the expectation entering the year. Puglisi was Georgia’s backup last season and was supposed to keep that role, but a slow start to fall camp and strong work from Montgomery turned it into a real competition. Kirby Smart even addressed that battle publicly.
Montgomery may have had the edge in Week 1 against Tennessee State, but Saturday belonged to Puglisi once Stockton handled his part first.
Puglisi was the first of the two to enter the game again, which for a second straight week suggested he may be the current backup. The production wasn’t flashy as a passer - he completed two of five throws for 19 yards - but he made his mark with his legs. Puglisi ran for 79 yards and scored on a 70-yard touchdown.
That kind of run stands out for any quarterback, and even Stetson Bennett, who was a very capable runner, never broke off a run that long in his Georgia career.
Montgomery got his chance after Puglisi, but the momentum never really followed him onto the field. He completed just one pass in four attempts and didn’t find the same kind of success running the ball.
At this point, Puglisi looks like Georgia’s clear backup for the second year in a row. Ideally, the Bulldogs never need him in a meaningful spot this season, but if Stockton goes down, Puglisi appears to be the one most likely to step in.
The bigger picture is that Georgia’s quarterback future looks a little less shaky than it did before Saturday. Stockton will be gone after this season, and Puglisi and Montgomery are the most likely candidates to chase the job next year. Their lack of experience and uneven fall camp had raised real questions about the position heading toward the 2027 season.
Puglisi’s performance won’t erase all of that, and it came against a Western Kentucky team Georgia was expected to handle. Still, it was the first time in a regular-season game that he flashed real potential, and that has to count for something.
This could also have been the last time Georgia fans see either Puglisi or Montgomery this season. With Georgia’s final 10 games coming against SEC teams and Georgia Tech, another 50-point win seems unlikely. But on Saturday, Puglisi gave Georgia a reason to feel better about what comes after Stockton.
In Other News...
Georgia Finally Granted A Fan Wish That Had Sanford Buzzing
The buzz around Sanford Stadium on Saturday had less to do with the opponent and more to do with what Georgia was wearing. For the first time in program history, the Bulldogs took the field in an all-white uniform, a look that had been teased and officially unveiled in early August before making its debut in Week 2 against Western Kentucky.
The rollout traced back to a deal Kirby Smart made with fans, tied to signups for the programs NIL collective, Glory Glory. Once the reveal became real, the reaction around the stadium was immediate and positive, adding a little extra energy to a game day that already had plenty of curiosity attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Receiver Depth Suddenly Has A New Concern Fans Need To Watch
Thomas Blackshears status is worth watching a little more closely now after the Georgia wide receiver sat out the game against Western Kentucky with a wrist injury and was seen in a cast. Kirby Smart said Blackshear is recovering, and the injury comes on top of a groin issue he has been managing since fall camp, adding another layer of concern to a receiver group that has been trying to build depth behind its more established options.
Blackshear had already begun to chip in during earlier games, which is part of why his absence stands out for a young receiving room Georgia has been counting on to develop. With the Bulldogs still sorting out roles at the position, any health setback for a promising underclassman becomes a storyline, and Blackshears availability will be one of the details to monitor as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia's First Half Felt Like A Statement For More Than One Reason
Georgia did not waste time turning Saturday into a showcase. In the first half alone, the Bulldogs piled up 49 points, matching a school record for most points in one half since 1950, and did it with a kind of balance that suggested more than a hot start. Gunner Stockton was sharp from the opening series, completing 13 of 16 passes for 234 yards while spreading the ball around, and Georgias offense needed only 34 plays to produce 343 yards and a flood of touchdowns.
The defense and special-teams edge only sharpened the picture. Georgia forced two turnovers, WKU managed just 6 points and 63 yards on 35 plays, and multiple Bulldogs found the end zone in a half that looked less like a routine September surge and more like a reminder of how high the ceiling can be when everything clicks. Stockton also tied a school record with five first-half touchdown passes, leaving the rest of the day to wonder whether the early statement was the story, or just the opening chapter. [Read more 🡒]