Gunner Stockton’s Growth Fuels Georgia’s SEC Title Hopes Once Again
ATHENS - One year ago, Gunner Stockton was thrust into the fire. Halftime of the SEC Championship Game, Georgia trailing Texas 6-3, and the Bulldogs needed a spark.
They found it in Stockton - a young quarterback who wasn’t yet polished, but who brought energy, toughness, and, most importantly, belief. By the end of the night, Georgia had pulled off a gritty 22-19 overtime win, and Stockton had helped hang another banner in Athens.
Fast forward to now, and the sophomore signal-caller is no longer the surprise off the bench. He’s the guy. The one leading Georgia back to Atlanta for a fifth straight SEC Championship Game appearance - this time against Alabama.
“I think I’ve grown, just my confidence as the season’s gone on,” Stockton said during Monday’s SEC title game teleconference. “At the start of the season, I didn’t have that many banked reps. But going on the road - Tennessee, Auburn - playing in those environments, it’s boosted my confidence.”
Stockton’s path hasn’t been without bumps. His struggles in last year’s College Football Playoff loss to Notre Dame and an inconsistent spring game performance raised fair questions about his readiness. But Kirby Smart never flinched.
Why? Because Smart saw what the locker room saw - a competitor with poise, toughness, and leadership. After that comeback win over Texas last December, Smart raved about the way Stockton energized the team.
“The players believe in Gunner, they love Gunner,” Smart said after that game. “The juice he brought, the passion and energy - it was like an added boost.
Can’t say enough about his toughness and character. The guy’s a phenomenal leader.”
That belief has carried into this season. Georgia hasn’t coasted - far from it.
Six of their seven SEC wins required second-half comebacks. But Stockton has been steady, even as the spotlight has grown brighter and the pressure heavier.
Former Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, now a sports director in Atlanta, pointed out that Stockton’s development has been about more than just reps - it’s about fit.
“Last year when Gunner played, the offense was pared down because the game plan was built for Carson Beck,” Shockley explained. “Now the offense is built around Gunner and his skill set.
He looks and feels more comfortable. And we’ve seen him make some big-time throws - Ole Miss, Texas - he’s showing what he can do.”
Against Ole Miss, Stockton was perfect in the second half - 12-for-12, 135 yards, three touchdowns. Four weeks later, he outdueled preseason Heisman favorite Arch Manning, completing 24 of 29 passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns, and adding another score on the ground.
That’s not just managing the game. That’s taking over.
David Cutcliffe, who coached both Peyton and Eli Manning in college, has seen the growth in Stockton’s game as well.
“His pocket presence and progression reads have significantly improved,” Cutcliffe said. “His ability to know when and how to be an effective runner - that’s grown with his playing time.”
It’s been a full-circle development. Technique, experience, vision, and trust - it’s all coming together at the right time.
“You’ve got to have all that,” Shockley said. “He’s got to trust that his guy is coming out of his break at 12 yards, and let it rip.
I think he knows he can make those throws now. And I think they want him to make those throws.”
The next test is a big one. Alabama looms, and they’ll bring pressure - both literally and figuratively.
And Georgia will be without top wideout Colbie Young, who suffered a season-ending leg fracture against Ole Miss. That’s a major blow, but others have stepped up.
Texas A&M transfer Noah Thomas has emerged lately, catching 11 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns over the past three games. Meanwhile, USC transfer Zachariah Branch has remained Stockton’s go-to guy, leading the team with 68 catches for 691 yards.
Branch is chasing history - just eight receptions shy of Brice Hunter’s single-season school record of 76, set in 1993 - but his focus is on being dependable.
“I try to make sure I’m 100 percent every single play,” Branch said. “So I can be reliable to him as a target.”
That chemistry has been crucial, but so has Stockton’s work ethic. Even before he was the starter, he was grinding - watching film, preparing like he’d play every week, even when he didn’t.
“Last year it was crazy,” Stockton said. “I was preparing each week like I was a starter, just trying to watch a lot of film and be ready. It was hard not playing, but when the time came, I was ready.”
Now, he’s not just ready - he’s leading.
“Being the starter, it’s a different mindset,” he said. “It’s about leading the team.
But it’s an opportunity, and I’m blessed to be in this situation. I’m glad to go do that with my teammates.”
On Saturday, Stockton returns to the same stadium where his story really began. But this time, he’s not the backup with something to prove. He’s the starter with a title to defend - and the Bulldogs are riding with him.