Brent Venables knows exactly what he’s walking into with Georgia.
Before Oklahoma meets the No. 2 Bulldogs on Saturday, the Sooners coach made it clear he sees the same thing everyone else does: a program that has turned steadiness into a weapon. Since Kirby Smart took over in 2016, Georgia has gone 120-21, won national titles in 2021 and 2022, and claimed three of the last four SEC championships.
“One of the most consistent programs in college football the last six, seven, eight years,” Venables said. “They've been fantastic.”
That consistency starts at quarterback with Gunner Stockton, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound junior from Tiger, Ga., now in his second season as Georgia’s starter. Stockton’s game isn’t built on flash.
It’s built on clean decisions and efficiency. In 2025, he threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 69.7 percent of his passes.
Through three games in 2026, he’s up to 583 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions on 38-of-45 passing.
He also gives Georgia enough with his legs to keep defenses honest. Stockton ran for 462 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, and he already has 100 rushing yards this season.
“I love how he plays,” Venables said. “He's just a really, really good football player. Plays the game the right way - can run, can throw.”
The other headliner on offense is junior running back Nate Frazier, who has been remarkably efficient since arriving in Athens. Last season, Frazier piled up 947 rushing yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. In Georgia’s first three games of 2026 - wins over Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and Arkansas - he has 202 yards and five touchdowns on only 24 carries.
Frazier was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s SEC availability report after an injury late in the Arkansas game, and Venables didn’t hide the challenge he presents if he’s out there.
“Man, he’s a dude,” Venables said. “Our guys are going to have to bring it. He runs through people through their soul over and over and over.”
Stockton and Frazier may be the biggest names, but they’re hardly Georgia’s only threats. True freshman Craig Dandridge and junior Sacovie White-Helton lead the Bulldogs in receiving through three games with 166 and 131 yards, respectively. London Humphreys, Isaiah Canion and Jeremy Bell have also each made multiple catches.
Tight end has been another productive spot. Lawson Luckie already has four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown, and he’s one of five Georgia tight ends to record a reception in 2026.
Venables also pointed to the Bulldogs’ size up front, calling the offensive line “massive.” All five starters are “home-grown” players who started their college careers at Georgia and are still in the program.
That’s the part Venables keeps circling back to: no easy leaks, no soft spots, just a team that keeps showing up the same way.
“I've just got admiration,” Venables said. “I'm not trying to build them up, gas ‘em up or anything else. They play at a really high level from an efficiency and consistency (standpoint).”
And the defense is every bit as familiar. Georgia enters the game first in the SEC in total defense at 211.3 yards allowed per game, second in scoring defense, third in rushing defense and third in passing defense. Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV is viewed as a future first-round pick, while safety KJ Bolden and linebacker Chris Cole are expected to be Day 2 selections when they reach the NFL.
Smart’s background on that side is part of the story too. He spent 2008 through 2015 as Alabama’s defensive coordinator, helping the Crimson Tide win four national championships. Venables has a similar résumé from his years as Clemson’s defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2021, when the Tigers won two national titles.
That’s why his praise for Georgia’s defense carried so much weight.
“Can't say enough about the consistency they play defense with,” Venables said. “They’ve got another fantastic unit.”
In Other News...
Brent Venables Sends Clear Message After Oklahoma's Uneven Start
Oklahomas 2-1 start has already brought a little of everything, from defensive flashes to the kind of offensive hiccups that can make a September schedule feel heavier than it should. After a College Football Playoff run a year ago, the expectation was that returning players would help the Sooners look more polished early, but the first three weeks have instead offered a reminder that continuity does not always equal instant smoothness.
Brent Venables has tried to keep the focus on steady, methodical improvement and on avoiding the trap of letting one uneven stretch shake the groups confidence. The defense showed up against New Mexico, but turnovers and other offensive mistakes have kept Oklahoma from looking like a finished product, leaving the Sooners with a clear message to absorb before the next step in the season gets any tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Added Another Future Piece Fans Will Want To Track
Oklahoma keeps adding to its future pipeline, and the latest name to circle is Colton Fitzgibbon, a dual-sport standout from San Ramon Valley High School in California. Fitzgibbon has committed to play both football and baseball for the Sooners, bringing a rare blend of speed and versatility to Norman as a wide receiver on the gridiron and a centerfielder on the diamond.
It is another encouraging sign for Oklahomas recruiting momentum in both sports, with Fitzgibbon already viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2028 class. For a program that has recently continued stacking football commitments, landing a player with legitimate two-way value only deepens the long-range intrigue around what the Sooners are building. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma's Offense Has One Urgent Question Entering SEC Play
Oklahoma enters SEC play still sorting out an offense that has been through multiple quarterback changes this season, and the uncertainty has pushed the conversation beyond simple execution. Around the program, the focus has turned to how much the Sooners identity on that side of the ball is being shaped by Brent Venables, and whether the staff needs to lean in more or give the unit more room to find its footing.
The debate has become a familiar one among those watching the team closely, with host Juwan Lee, OU beat writer Mason Young and sports columnist Berry Tramel all weighing in on what the Sooners need most right now. However the answer is framed, the urgency is clear: Oklahoma is heading into league play with an offense that still has to prove it can settle in and deliver under the pressure that comes with the SEC. [Read more 🡒]