Saturday night in Tuscaloosa is shaping up as a defining checkpoint for Gunner Stockton.
Georgia’s senior quarterback is making his third start against Alabama and his first inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the Bulldogs facing their toughest test of the season to this point. However the weather plays out, the spotlight is on Stockton to show how far he’s come from the version Georgia had in 2025.
“It starts with a good week of prep,” Stockton said of finding success against Alabama. “Any time you're on the road you’ve got to communicate at a high level and execute. Because everything in those games-- it just comes down to little details.”
That task may get even trickier if Hurricane Isaias brings wind and rain into the mix. The game appears set to go on as scheduled, but the conditions could make life difficult for both passing games. If that happens, Georgia may need Stockton to win in less forgiving ways.
The Bulldogs are also dealing with their own personnel issues. Chauncey Bowens, who ran for 119 yards on 12 carries against Alabama last year, is out.
Nate Frazier is back, but he may not be fully healthy after dealing with a painful rib injury. That puts even more of the offensive burden on Stockton’s shoulders.
So far this year, though, he has answered the call. His best outing came against Vanderbilt, when he completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. More important than the raw numbers, Georgia has seen a quarterback who is processing the field faster, working through progressions and throwing with more confidence than he showed a year ago.
Against Vanderbilt, Stockton connected on a deep shot to Landon Roldan and also delivered several intermediate completions over the middle. Those weren’t throws he was consistently making last season.
“He played a really, really good game the other day, and I was really happy for him because of how hard he works at it,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “But he's gotta continue to get better to give us a chance where we wanna go."
Georgia has wanted more explosive plays from Stockton as a second-year starter, and this season he has looked far more willing to attack downfield. In 2025, a lot of his production came on quick throws and screens, and the deep ball wasn’t a strength.
This year has looked different. He’s been more aggressive, more confident and far less likely to take off running at the first sign of trouble.
“I'm certainly very happy and pleased with where Gunner is as a player,” Smart said. “I think experience helps.
I think experience matters. I think how people play around you matters.
I think gameplan and what you're asked to do, not asking a quarterback to do more than he needs to do, is important.”
That growth has been noticeable inside the locker room too. Stockton doesn’t say much, but teammates talk about the competitive edge he brings once the ball is snapped.
“I wouldn’t go to war with anyone else in America, I truly believe that,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene III said. “The way he prepares day in and day out for games like this, I’m just happy I get to block for a guy like that.”
There has still been one clear speed bump. Against Oklahoma, Georgia’s toughest defense so far, Stockton had his roughest game of the season.
He finished 14 of 25 for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 41-13 Georgia win. The offense stalled in the third quarter, though the Bulldogs ultimately benefited from a miserable day by Oklahoma’s offense.
Even with the turnover, Stockton didn’t fade the way he sometimes has in the past. He bounced back by hitting Talyn Taylor for the fourth of four 30-plus-yard completions that got Georgia moving again. That response matters here, because Alabama is built to punish mistakes.
The Tide bring pressure up front and defensive backs who can make quarterbacks pay for errant throws. They also have four pick sixes in five games this year.
“They've been really opportunistic as well when they've gotten them, running them back and scoring,” Smart said. “Any time you score on defense, it's a big, huge momentum swing, and they've got players who can do it."
Still, Georgia has reasons to believe Stockton can make plays if he gets time and can work the boundary throws he’s shown more often this season. His first start against Alabama produced a season-low 20 passes and just 130 yards. In the SEC championship win over the Tide, he was efficient and threw for 156 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-26 passing, with Georgia leaning on short fields.
This one asks for more.
If Georgia is going to win in Tuscaloosa, Stockton may need to deliver the best performance he’s had against Alabama - and maybe the best one he’s had in a Georgia uniform.
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