Georgia always seems to find a new way to keep people guessing, and that was true again last season. Chauncey Bowens broke through as a true freshman, and Gunner Stockton ended up leading the team in rushing touchdowns. Now, heading into 2026, there are a few more twists that could catch a lot of fans off guard.
The biggest one starts on the ground. Georgia ran the ball 580 times in 2025, the last time it came anywhere close to that workload the backfield featured Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and D'Andre Swift.
Even so, the Bulldogs finished with 2,550 rushing yards last season, and that number could climb fast this year. Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips are all back, and Stockton gives them another runner defenses have to account for.
Georgia also brings back four starters on the offensive line, which gives this group a real shot at pushing past 3,000 rushing yards for the first time since 2022.
That kind of season would also set the stage for Stockton to make a serious run at national hardware. He already finished in the top 10 of Heisman voting a year ago, even without consistently pushing the ball downfield.
This offseason, that area has been a major focus, and if the preseason scrimmages are any indication, the rest of the country may need to pay closer attention. If Georgia’s ground game gets rolling the way it can, Stockton could end up in a similar spot to Stetson Bennett, who finished fourth in Heisman voting in 2022 when Georgia last topped 3,000 rushing yards.
There’s also a fresh name to watch on the outside. Mike Bobo has moved true freshman Kaiden Prothro from tight end to receiver, at least for now, and if that shift holds, he could become Georgia’s most dangerous pass catcher since Brock Bowers. Prothro’s 6'6" frame and athleticism give Stockton a massive target on the perimeter, and that kind of profile is exactly why he could be in line for SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
If all of that comes together, Georgia could end up looking a lot like the 2022 team in more ways than one. The offense would have the run game, the line, the emerging pass-catching threat and the quarterback play to make plenty of noise. And if Stockton delivers on the hype, a Top 4 Heisman finish wouldn’t feel so bold after all.
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Dillon Bells Feel-Good Vikings Win Just Turned Into NFL Uncertainty
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Kirby Smart Sent An Early Message Georgia Fans Will Notice
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The broader conversation around the SEC is already circling beyond the practice field, with league schools reviewing policies tied to players returning to college after NFL participation and Lane Kiffin publicly backing the players side of that debate. For Georgia, the timing adds another layer to a week that has also featured strong starts from the womens soccer and volleyball teams, giving the athletic department plenty of momentum as football begins its own next chapter. [Read more 🡒]