Gunner Stockton came away from Georgia’s 38-14 win over Vanderbilt feeling good about how the Bulldogs handled the day, especially the way they stayed sharp and kept the ball moving.
“I thought we executed pretty well today. Um, I thought we did a good job with that and played hard. We talked about having FPE - fire, passion, energy.
I thought we did a pretty good job with that just making the most of the opportunity that we have. And you spread the ball around.”
Stockton pointed to Thomas Blackshear’s catch as one of the standout moments, saying the play didn’t surprise him at all.
“Oh, yeah. He had a great catch.
They really had a pretty good call on. I get to see and everybody gets to see him make plays during practice all week, so it's pretty neat to him make that today.”
The Vanderbilt game also gave Georgia a chance to deal with a little more resistance than it had seen in some other stretches this season. Stockton said the key was answering the moment when the game tightened.
“Everybody's doing the setting up stuff this year, and that's kind of the MO. Just being able to handle it and this is the first time that, you know, we were tied this season, so, um, just being able to respond and go out there and play.”
Asked whether the Bulldogs have already faced adversity this season, Stockton said that challenge is part of the weekly grind.
“I think it's everything. I think we see adversity a lot during the week, but just being able to respond and move on to the next play.”
He also didn’t realize he had moved past Mike Bobo on Georgia’s career passing touchdown list.
“GUNER: I didn't even know that. That's kind of crazy.
Yeah. That's pretty awesome.
I didn't know that.”
Georgia now turns its attention to Alabama, and Stockton made clear he expects the road environment to demand clean execution and strong communication.
“Any time you go on the road - definitely in Alabama you have to be able to execute and communicate at a high level.
But it starts with having a good week of prep and doing that.”
He said the same thing again when asked about the challenge ahead, emphasizing the details that get hammered home during the week.
“I think definitely just the little details of us in the walkthroughs and meetings that we do all during the week, and definitely a bunch of stuff out there today that we need to clean up. But just being intentional with it.”
Stockton called the Alabama matchup one of the games players look forward to, and he remembered the 2024 meeting as a loud, high-level atmosphere.
“This is the games that you look forward to, and it's gonna be a great environment. Alabama, they always have a great home environment. You're always looking forward to it, and just the week of prep ahead.”
“Yeah, it's a crazy game. Um, almost came back and won.
Uh, but it was, it was loud. It was, it was a great environment.”
He also said Georgia’s first drive of the second half mattered because it came right after Vanderbilt scored to pull within 21-14.
“Yeah, it was big. Coming out they scored, what was it, 21-14?
Just coming out and it was huge. It was the first drive, and it a big momentum drive, and I thought we did a good job of that.”
On the passing game, Stockton said the Bulldogs were focused on scoring every possession and taking care of the football.
“Every drive we're trying to score, but I thought we executed pretty well and handled the ball and took care of the ball today.”
Georgia leaned on its passing attack more than its run game, and Stockton said the team simply adjusted to what the game called for.
“We threw it a bunch. It was kind of - we really didn't throw it, or I mean, run it that much.
Peanut did a good job, and Nate came in there and Chauncey of course. And uh, you know, whatever, whatever we need to do, we'll do.”
He was especially happy to see Nate back on the field.
“Nate, just his energy and everything he brings to the field and the locker room. It's always fun seeing his face out there and his smile.”
Stockton also praised Dwight Phillips, whom he called Peanut, for the speed and impact he brings when he gets space.
“Peanut, he's one of the best teammates we got. And uh, just seeing him and what he does with the ball, he's one of the fastest guys on the field. So um, any time he's got some open space, it's always, it's always pretty good.”
On how defenses have been handling Georgia so far this year, Stockton said opponents are loading up and trying to force the Bulldogs into decisions pre-snap.
“Yeah, they just bring, you know, all of them up if you're in, uh, you know, two by two. And uh, they'll bring, uh, they'll bring seven up, or in the core - just trying to get you to make a check or leave it on and make you, make you do something.”
And after halftime, Kirby Smart’s message was simple: keep the edge.
“I think just attacking, still having fire, passion, energy and, um, you know, doing what we do and don't, uh, don't get lulled asleep, and go out there and just execute.”
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Seemed To Send A Message In Georgias Vanderbilt Win
Jared Curtis did not suit up in Vanderbilts recent meeting with Georgia after the quarterback, who had flipped his commitment from the Bulldogs to the Commodores last year, was injured. Georgia handled the game the way a team trying to stay in the thick of the national title race needed to, while Vanderbilt came away with its season outlook looking far less secure than the one in Athens.
Afterward, Curtis made his way toward Kirby Smart, setting up a moment that drew attention for what happened as much as what did not. Smarts body language suggested he was not eager to linger, and the interaction felt like the sort of understated sideline scene that can say plenty without anyone having to say much at all. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Left Vanderbilt With Two Concerns Alabama Will Test
Georgia left Nashville with a win and a cleaner record, but not a clean bill of health on the details that usually travel with them into bigger games. The Bulldogs beat Vanderbilt 38-14 to move to 5-0, and Carson Beck turned in another efficient day by completing 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Even so, the outing had the kind of uneven stretches Georgia cannot ignore when the schedule sharpens, especially with the ground game not finding much rhythm.
The defense also had its lapses, most notably on third downs, and Alabama is the sort of opponent that tends to expose those cracks quickly. Georgia did settle in after halftime and looked more like itself down the stretch, but next weekend brings a far sterner test of whether those second-half corrections can carry over. For a team that has mostly handled business through September, the trip to face Alabama now feels less like a checkpoint and more like a revealing exam. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Is Already Pressing Georgia On One Concern Before Alabama
Vanderbilt kept things interesting for a half before Georgia pulled away for a 38-14 win, scoring the final 17 points to close it out. Clark Lea had reasons to point to some progress on the Commodores side, especially in protection and the run game, while Kirby Smart came away talking about the kind of things he likes to see from his own team this time of year: conditioning, execution and the steadier finish that can matter when the schedule tightens.
Smarts focus now turns quickly to Alabama, and it sounds like he is already sharpening one concern before that matchup arrives. Even after a comfortable win, Georgia is still looking to clean up areas that can become costly against a better opponent, and Smart did not hide that there is more work to do before the next test. [Read more 🡒]