Greg McElroy is still looking at Georgia as the SEC’s standard-bearer, and he’s not backing off that stance heading into 2026.
The former Alabama quarterback said this week on Always College Football that the Bulldogs have the pieces to push for a serious College Football Playoff run next season, even though that kind of breakthrough has been missing lately. Georgia has stacked back-to-back SEC Championships, but it has not won a CFP game in any of the last three campaigns. Kirby Smart’s group will be trying to flip that script in 2026-27.
McElroy’s confidence starts with Gunner Stockton, who is back as the starting quarterback.
“Gunner Stockton is why I think the arrow points up,” McElroy said on Always College Football this week. “He managed the game beautifully at times last year.
He is a proven, championship-caliber quarterback. Now, he’s just got to elevate his play a little bit in creating more explosiveness offensively.
But I absolutely believe that he can do it.”
He also pointed to the overall depth Georgia brings back, noting that the Bulldogs return 14 starters and have plenty of blue-chip talent ready to step in for the players who moved on through the NFL Draft or the transfer portal.
That combination is why McElroy sees Georgia as the league’s top target.
“So Georgia, still the team to beat in this league until somebody beats them for it,” McElroy added.
Georgia opens the 2026 season against Tennessee State on Sept. 5.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Has A New Roster Question Mike Elko Must Answer
Texas A&M heads into the new season with plenty of momentum after an 11-2 finish in 2025, but a fresh roster wrinkle has emerged as the Aggies continue sorting out what Mike Elkos team will look like when camp gets moving. A recent ruling making all class of 2022 athletes eligible this season has opened the door to some intriguing possibilities, and it has naturally led to conversation about whether the Aggies could look back to the past to help shape the present.
For now, though, the question is less about what names might be available and more about whether Texas A&M will choose to act on the option at all. There has been no official announcement about adding anyone to the roster, which leaves the situation in a familiar holding pattern for a program trying to balance continuity, roster management and the reality that unexpected eligibility changes can quickly alter the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Former Texas A&M WR Is Giving Aggies Fans A Painful Reminder
Noah Thomas has already turned into one of those former Texas A&M wideouts Aggies fans cant help but keep an eye on. After transferring to Georgia, Thomas went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and is now trying to carve out a place for himself in NFL Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals, where every strong rep matters and every catch gets noticed.
Thomas helped create a little extra buzz in camp with a notable grab against veteran cornerback D.J. Ivey, a reminder of the kind of size and ball skills that once made him such an intriguing prospect. Back in College Station, Texas A&M has already taken steps to address its own receiver room by adding Isaiah Horton from Alabama, a move meant to help with the size concerns that have lingered on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has One Roster Battle That Could Shape Everything
Texas A&M heads into 2026 with the kind of buzz that comes from a first College Football Playoff appearance, and the roster has been reinforced accordingly. The Aggies brought in four offensive line transfers while also keeping important pieces in place, giving the staff plenty of options as fall camp gets underway.
Still, the most important question in College Station is not about talent so much as fit. The starting offensive line has yet to be settled, and the coaching staff is sorting through how the group comes together, knowing chemistry and cohesion up front can define what this team becomes. [Read more 🡒]